North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Jimel Eddie “Blessing” Tamba, 29, of 1327 Briar Creek Road., Apartment 6, Charlotte. Tamba was charged with two counts of insurance fraud, two counts of obtaining property by false pretense, one count attempting to obtain property by false pretense and one count of filing a false affidavit, all felonies. He was charged with misdemeanor impersonating a law enforcement officer.
Special agents from the Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division accuse Tamba of providing false documentation to both Farm Bureau Insurance of N.C. Inc. and USAA Insurance Agency Inc. of Texas to support fraudulent claims made to both. To Farm Bureau, he is accused of submitting $19,719.71 in fictitious and inflated auto repair invoices on a claim for engine repairs after a minor parking lot accident.
He is also accused of submitting a fake military form to the Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain a military endorsement on his North Carolina driver’s license. According to arrest warrants, he claimed to be an active-duty National Guardsman and a U.S. Army captain with the 170th Military Police Criminal Investigation Division and used the false military association to obtain an automobile policy with USAA and receive a $630 rental car payment from that policy.
Special agents discovered that Tamba had again falsely represented himself as a military veteran in Alamance County to receive a canine “Battle Buddy” named Max from a non-profit organization valued between $7,000 and $10,000. That led to a charge of obtaining property by false pretense in Alamance County. The location of the service animal is unknown, and the investigation is ongoing.
The offenses occurred between Nov. 16, 2025, and April 13, 2026.
Tamba is being held in a Mecklenburg County Jail. He has $25,000 secured bonds in both Mecklenburg and Alamance counties. He is scheduled to appear in Alamance County District Court on Oct. 19.
“Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime,” Commissioner Causey said. “I encourage everyone to be aware of insurance scams and report suspected scams or insurance fraud immediately.”
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.