Topics Related to Fraud Control/Investigations

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced today the arrest of Eniya Najeen Smith, 25, of 210 Dogwood Lane, Mount Olive, NC. Smith was charged with one count of insurance fraud and one count of attempting to obtain property by false pretense. Both are felonies.

According to special agents with the NC Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division, Smith attempted to defraud Progressive Premier Insurance Company of Illinois out of $4,252 by issuing false statements regarding her auto insurance.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced today the arrest of Annie Witherspoon Johnson, 40, of 1722 Ninth Avenue NW, Hickory, NC. Johnson is charged with two counts of identity theft, both are felonies.

According to special agents with the NC Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division, Johnson used credit card information belonging to another person to make a payment towards her own vehicle insurance. Agents assisted the Hickory Police Department with the investigation.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Matthew Scott Schuhmacher, 47, of 6211 Wrightsville Ave., Wilmington. Schuhmacher was charged with insurance fraud and attempting to obtain property by false pretense, both felonies.

Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey is cautioning North Carolinians to be on the lookout for door-to-door salesmen posing as agents with the N.C. Department of Insurance who seek to sell fake insurance to unsuspecting consumers.

Agents with the department’s Criminal Investigations Division have been informed of at least two recent instances of this type of activity and are currently investigating the complaints. This is the fourth time since 2020 that there have been reports of NCDOI imposter agents acting as salesmen.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced today the arrest of Scott Christopher Daniels, 48, of 1522 Whispering Wood S. Court, Wilmington, NC. Daniels was charged with one count of insurance fraud, a felony.

According to special agents with the NC Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division, Daniels attempted to defraud Peak Property and Casualty Insurance by providing a written and verbal statement that his vehicle was damaged by fire. An investigation later revealed that the fire had been intentionally set.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Marissa Marie Schultz, 27, of 418 Ellis Rd., Bolivia. Schultz was charged with attempting to obtain property by false pretense, a felony.

Special agents with the Criminal Investigations Division of the NC Department of Insurance accuse Schultz of attempting to obtain a license to sell life insurance from the North Carolina Department of Insurance by submitting an altered life insurance exam diagnostic report to the N.C. Licensing Office.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced today the arrest of Sabrina Levonda Smallwood, 50, of 600 Middle St., Tarboro, NC. Smallwood was charged with two counts of insurance fraud and two counts of attempting to obtain property by false pretense. Each of the four charges are felonies.

Smallwood’s daughter, Alasa Millennium Johnson, 24, also of 600 Middle St., was previously charged by agents in March with the same four felony counts in connection with this case.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced that Angela Michelle Dunn, 56, of 401 Dayvault St. SW, Concord, was charged with insurance fraud and attempting to obtain property by false pretense, both felonies.

Special agents with the Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division accuse Dunn of attempting to receive a payment from Peak Property and Casualty Insurance Corp. by falsely telling the insurance company that an automobile accident occurred after medical coverage was added to the policy.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Alphonso Ray Murray, 54, of 795 Black River Lane, Harrells. Murray was charged with insurance fraud, obtaining property by false pretense and two counts of car title application fraud, all felonies.

Murray is the owner of Murray’s Auto World in Wilson.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced today the arrest of Voderick Delain Springs Jr., 30, of 1914 E. Third Street, Winston-Salem, NC. Springs Jr. is charged with one count of insurance fraud and one count of obtaining property by false pretense, both felonies.

Special agents with the NC Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division found that Springs Jr. submitted a claim for funds from Allstate that he had earlier filed with Liberty Mutual to twice collect $9,100 in coverage for stolen items.