New Hampshire Insurance Commissioner, AG Announce Indictment For Automobile Insurance Fraud

August 7, 2007 -- New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly A. Ayotte and Insurance Commissioner Roger A. Sevigny announced today the indictment of Inge Lasut for Insurance Fraud, under RSA 638:20.

Lasut, age 27, of Manchester, NH, was indicted on one count of Insurance Fraud on July 19, 2007 by the Strafford County Grand Jury. The indictment alleges that Lasut applied for an automobile insurance policy with Progressive Northern Insurance Company (“Progressive”) on February 15, 2005. Pursuant to this insurance policy, the indictment states, Lasut made a claim to Progressive for payment for damage to her car. According to the indictment, Lasut claimed that the accident had taken place on February 18, 2005. The indictment alleges that, actually, Lasut’s car had been damaged before she applied for the insurance policy. According to the indictment, Lasut knew that her statement about the accident was false, incomplete or misleading and that this information was material to her claim for payment for damage to her car. In providing this information, Lasut’s purpose was to deceive or defraud Progressive, the indictment alleges. The indictment states that the crime was committed in Dover, NH.

An arraignment date has been scheduled for August 24, 2007 at the Strafford County Superior Court.

The charge is a Class B felony, which carries a maximum penalty of 3 ½ - 7 years incarceration and a fine of $4000.

“Insurance fraud increases the cost of automobile insurance for all New Hampshire drivers. My office is committed to investigating and prosecuting insurance fraud. Stopping automobile insurance fraud benefits all New Hampshire insurance consumers,” stressed Insurance Commissioner Sevigny. Attorney General Ayotte said, “The Attorney General’s Office will actively investigate and vigorously prosecute insurance fraud cases to deter persons from engaging in these offenses. Law abiding citizens should not have to pay extra for automobile insurance because others defraud their insurance company.”

The indictment is the result of a joint investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Office and the Insurance Department Fraud Investigation Unit. Pursuant to RSA 417:23, the Fraud Unit was formed to investigate Insurance Fraud and other insurance-related criminal activity.

Source: New Hampshire Attorney General

Bookmark/Search this post with:

 •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •