Insurance Journal – April 11, 2005
A Fullerton insurance claims adjuster and two accomplices were arrested April 8 by California Department of Insurance Fraud Investigators for their alleged participation in an auto insurance fraud scheme.
According to Investigators, Leonardo Davinci Hines was employed by Robert Moreno Insurance Services in the City of Fullerton, California between Dec. 20, 2001 and Jan. 15, 2003.
Hines has been charged with eight felony counts of grand theft and five counts of insurance fraud. Fredrick Jerome Hines, the brother of Leonardo, has been charged with five counts of grand theft, and Joslynn Brown has been charged with one count each of grand theft and insurance fraud. The case is being prosecuted by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. Bail has been set at $50,000 for Leonardo Hines, $35,000 for Fredrick Hines, and $15,000 for Joslynn Brown.
Leonardo Hines was at the center of an alleged scheme to introduce “stuffed” passengers into vehicle accidents for which he was administering the claims. CDI Fraud Division was notified that Hines was issuing unauthorized bodily injury settlement checks. Leonardo Hines allegedly issued 13 checks, totaling $54,477, for the settlement of bodily injury claims to claimants that were not involved in the automobile collisions.
Investigators found that from eight claim files, Leonardo Hines authorized checks payable to Fredrick Jerome, Gerome Fredrick, Jerome Hines, and Joslynn Brown. None of these individuals were involved in any of these eight separate automobile collisions.