North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Tonya Denise Allen, 50, of 6932 Juniper Terrace, Shelby. Allen was charged with insurance fraud, a felony.
Special agents with the Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division accuse Allen of attempting to defraud Repwest Insurance Co. and U-Haul Rental Insurance following a vehicle crash. According to the arrest warrant, Allen claimed she was following her boyfriend and did not notice he had stopped, causing her to hit the back of his vehicle. Investigators determined the collision was intentional, making the statement a false and misleading representation of facts.
Allen was arrested June 15 and was released under a $5,000 unsecured bond.
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 or toll free from anywhere in North Carolina at 888-680-7684.
Information is also available at www.ncdoi.gov.