North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced that two Richmond County insurance agents were served with criminal summonses.
Christian LaFabian Ratliff, 34, of 151 Jenkins Covington Road, Rockingham, was charged with two counts of insurance fraud and two counts of obtaining property by false pretense, all felonies, along with two misdemeanor counts of making false statements in an application for insurance.
Jamel Dante Buie, 43, of 321 Earl Franklin Drive, Hamlet, was charged with insurance fraud and obtaining property by false pretense, both felonies, along with misdemeanor making false statements in an application for insurance.
Special agents with the Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division accuse Ratliff of obtaining $29,528.33 in commissions by submitting life insurance applications containing false information to two insurance companies.
Special agents accuse Buie of obtaining $4,758 in commissions by submitting false applications containing false information to an insurance company.
Ratliff’s offenses occurred between Oct. 16, 2020, and Aug. 24, 2021. Buie’s offenses occurred between Nov. 9, 2020, and Dec. 30, 2020.
Ratliff and Buie were served with criminal summonses on March 10. They are due in Richmond County District Court on March 17.
Commissioner Causey encourages North Carolinians to help keep insurance premiums low by reporting suspicious fraud.
“Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime,” Commissioner Causey said. “It hits all of us in the pocket through higher premiums.”
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.