North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Richard Edward Taylor Jr., 31, and Carrington Marie Purgason, 26, both of 804 Bryce Court, Wilmington. Both are charged with insurance fraud, attempting to obtain property by false pretense and conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense, all felonies.
Special agents with the Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division accuse the two of conspiring to obtain money in an automobile insurance claim from Government Employees Insurance Co.
According to the arrest warrants, the two told the insurance company that damage to Taylor’s vehicle was the result of a collision when the damages were on the vehicle before the date of the reported collision.
The offenses occurred between Dec. 1, 2021, and Jan. 11, 2022.
Wilmington police arrested both Taylor and Purgason on Jan. 24. Taylor was given a $15,000 secured bond. Purgason was given a $2,500 unsecured bond.
“Property and casualty insurance fraud costs insurance customers an estimated $120 billion a year in increased premiums,” said Commissioner Causey. “The Department of Insurance has beefed up its fraud-fighting staff in an effort to make more arrests to keep fraud from driving up insurance costs.”
If you suspect insurance fraud or other white-collar crimes, please report it. You may anonymously report fraud by calling the N.C. Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840. Information is also available at www.ncdoi.gov.