Charges Pile Up For North Carolina Insurance Agent
GRIFTON-The list of charges against a former Grifton insurance agent continues to grow longer.
David Pickett, 59, of 205 Queen St., Grifton, was arrested July 11 in Wayne County. He was charged with 11 counts of obtaining property by false pretense, nine counts of embezzlement and nine counts of exploitation of an elder. He was placed under an $890,000 bond.
This marks the third time in the past two years that Pickett has been charged for similar offenses.
He was first arrested Oct. 9, 2015 and charged with 13 counts of embezzlement by an insurance agent. He was again charged May 25 with embezzlement and exploitation of an elder.
In total, Pickett is now facing 63 charges stemming from Pitt, Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Harnett, Jones, Lenoir and Wayne counties.
Picket is accused of deceiving elder adults to obtain funds, assets and property, according to a release from the N.C. Department of Insurance. He allegedly knowingly embezzled, misapplied and converted other individuals' property for his own use, according to the department.
In 2015, it was alleged he accepted healthcare premium payments totaling $29,801 without applying those payments to his customers' policies.
The new charges against Pickett continue to come as former customers have contacted the department of insurance following his first arrest. Anyone with information is urged to contact criminal investigators at the department of insurance at 919-807-6840.
"According to the FBI, insurance fraud costs the average family between $400 and $700 per year in the form of increased premiums," said N.C. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey in the press release. "Consumer protection is my number one priority and I will continue to fight insurance fraud with your help."
The department of insurance employs 20 sworn state law enforcement officers dedicated to investigating and prosecuting claims of insurance and bail bonding fraud. Callers to the department may remain anonymous. More information is available at ncdoi.com.
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