North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced the arrest of William Earl Epps Jr., 69, of 816 Mary James Avenue, Thomasville. Epps is charged with one count of insurance fraud and one count of attempting to obtain property by false pretense, both felonies.
Special agents with the NC Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division accuse Epps of attempting to obtain a payment from GEICO Indemnity Company after falsely claiming that his vehicle had been stolen from his yard and wrecked. Agents say the claim is false, as a witness identified Epps leaving the scene of an automobile accident.
The offenses occurred on April 13, according to the warrant.
Epps was served with a criminal summons on June 5. He is scheduled to appear in Davidson County District Court on July 1.
“Insurance fraud hits consumers in the wallet,” Commissioner Causey said. “Approximately 20 cents of every insurance premium dollar goes to covering the cost of fraud. I’m fighting this by aggressively pursuing and prosecuting insurance fraud in North Carolina.”
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 or toll free from anywhere in North Carolina at 888-680-7684.
Information is also available at www.ncdoi.gov.