Scope of alleged fraud widens [The Macon Telegraph, Ga.]

Jan. 8--The state Insurance Commissioner's Office has identified four additional businesses allegedly defrauded by two Macon insurance agents.

The Macon-area businesses lost about $20,000, said Glenn Allen, a spokesman for the commissioner's office.

Allen would not release the names of the businesses, but he said they bought auto and general liability coverage from the Marshall Insurance Agency, located on Vineville Avenue.

Broadus W. Marshall Jr., 57, and his son 26-year-old Matthew P. Marshall were arrested Dec. 17, charged with one count of insurance fraud in connection with allegations that they sold Goodwill Industries insurance and then pocketed more than $150,000 in premium payments.

Attorneys representing the Marshalls say the criminal charges are a result of "misunderstandings and misinformation."

Hale Almand, Broadus Marshall's attorney, said his client has had a good reputation in the community for many years.

Almand said he anticipates that any charges resulting from the additional cases cited by the Insurance Commissioner's Office also would be the result of misunderstandings and misinformation.

Bob Lovett, Matthew Marshall's attorney, said his client had been an agent for only about a year before his arrest.

"The insurance policies he's written have been very few," Lovett said.

Also, he said, there haven't been any complaints filed regarding policies that Matthew Marshall wrote.

State records show that Broadus Marshall was originally licensed in 1977. His son was licensed in February 2008.

Over the years, the Marshall agency has been affiliated with dozens of insurers, including Hartford, Progressive, Safeco and Travelers, according to records.

Lovett said he's tried to contact the insurance commissioner's office about the additional allegations, but he has not gotten a call back.

Both Marshalls were released on $110,200 bond Dec. 18, according to Bibb County jail records.

They still have active licenses, said John Oxendine, the state insurance commissioner.

"You're innocent until proven guilty," he said. "That's (their) constitutional right."

Lovett said the Marshalls are still in business.

Oxendine said it's his office's practice to revoke insurance agents' licenses upon conviction.

It's possible that there are more cases, Oxendine said. The Insurance Commissioner's Office urges people who have done business with Marshall Insurance Agency to contact their insurance companies directly.

If the paperwork isn't in order, Georgia residents may call (800) 656-2298.

"That's the only way we know" to investigate, Oxendine said.</p>

The Marshalls allegedly sold an auto insurance policy and a liability policy to Goodwill in August 2008 and sent Goodwill's premium payments to the insurer, Philadelphia Insurance Co., until December 2008.

But in early 2009, the Marshalls stopped sending payments to the insurer and the policies were canceled, according to Oxendine's office.

When the policies came up for renewal in August 2009, Goodwill contacted the insurer while shopping around for rates and learned that its policies had been canceled.

Information from The Telegraph's archives was used in this report.

To contact writer Amy Leigh Womack, call 744-4398.

To see more of The Macon Telegraph, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.macon.com

Copyright (c) 2010, The Macon Telegraph, Ga.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.