Nebraska Man Headed To Prison After Failed Insurance Scam

A Nebraska man is going to jail after an insurance scam involving a motorcycle accident, Iowa regulators say.

Billy Joe Sams, 54, of Bellevue, Neb. and formerly of Council Bluffs, Iowa, pleaded guilty to one count of theft third degree, an aggravated misdemeanor, following an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau.

As a result of the plea agreement, Sams will serve up to two years in prison and is required to pay restitution in the amount of $17,195.23 along with a suspended fine of $855.

The charges against Sams stem from an investigation which began in 2020. According to criminal complaints filed by the Iowa Insurance Fraud Bureau in September of 2020, Sams submitted a claim to his insurer involving a motorcycle accident.

Sams provided fictitious information regarding the date of the accident and injuries sustained in order to obtain insurance benefits he would not otherwise have been entitled to, Iowa regulators said.