5 Held In Alleged Staged-Accident Scam In N.C.

May 31--DURHAM -- Five Durham residents have been arrested in an insurance fraud scheme involving staged auto accidents in Durham County, state insurance department officials announced Friday. The Department of Insurance requests help from the public in finding two additional suspects. Those arrested were:

Natoyia Barbee, 29, of Wyldewood Drive, Durham, charged with one count each of obtaining property by false pretense, attempting to obtain property by false pretense, conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense, and two counts of insurance fraud. Barbee was placed under a $30,000 secured bond.

Ernest Bostic, 30, 3439 Glasson St., Durham, charged with one count each of obtaining property by false pretense and attempting to obtain property by false pretense, as well as two counts each of conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense and insurance fraud. The bond amount for Bostic has not been set; Bostic was incarcerated at the time of the arrest.

Tomika Green, 33, of 1819-D Haverford Road, Durham, charged with two counts each of obtaining property by false pretense, conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense, insurance fraud and misdemeanor child abuse. Green was placed under a $20,000 secured bond.

Walter Harris, Jr., 36, 1512 Wabash St., Durham, charged with one count each of obtaining property by false pretense, conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense and insurance fraud. The bond amount for Harris has not been set; Harris was incarcerated at the time of the arrest.

Lachuante Rankin, 30, of 300 Macon St., Durham, charged with one count each of obtaining property by false pretense and attempting to obtain property by false pretense, as well as two counts each of insurance fraud and misdemeanor child abuse. Rankin was placed under a $30,000 secured bond.

Department of Insurance criminal investigators allege that between May 4, 2011, and May 22, 2011, the suspects staged three automobile accidents, during which several suspects claimed to be injured and submitted fraudulent insurance claims to Nationwide Insurance Company and Progressive Insurance Company.

Nationwide and Progressive representatives alerted the Department of Insurance after discovering that all three accidents involved the same suspects as either passengers or drivers. More than $14,000 had been paid by the insurance companies to the suspects for their medical claims. The alleged child abuse charges stem from allegations that Green and Rankin's children were passengers in the vehicles during the time of the staged accidents.

Investigators are seeking two more suspects in association with this case. They are: Antoinette Henderson, 26, of 348 Kilarney Drive, Durham, wanted for one count each of attempting to obtain property by false pretense, conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense and insurance fraud.

Lenora Jackson-Wilson, 41, 3507 Century Oaks Drive, Durham, wanted for one count each of obtaining property by false pretense, conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense and insurance fraud.

Criminal investigators are requesting the public's assistance in locating Henderson and Jackson-Wilson. Anyone with information on their whereabouts is encouraged to contact the North Carolina Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840.

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