Council Bluffs woman charged with insurance fraud

Shannon Marie Doty, 53, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on Jan. 15, and charged with one count of insurance fraud, presenting false informatio, a Class D felony.

Doty's arrest following an investigation into a fraudulent insurance claim by the Iowa Insurance Division's Fraud Bureau, according to a news release from the Iowa Insurance Division.

The investigation began in April 2024 after Doty submitted a claim to her insurance provider regarding an automobile policy. According to criminal affidavits, Doty's vehicle was involved in a collision on March 16, 2023. However, investigators determined that Doty did not have an active insurance policy at the time of the crash.

The affidavit alleges that Doty applied for and obtained an insurance policy after the accident had already occurred and then knowingly provided false statements to the insurer. She allegedly claimed the policy was active prior to the collision in a fraudulent attempt to obtain coverage and payment to which she was not entitled.

A warrant was issued on June 20, 2024, for Doty's arrest, and on Jan. 15, 2026, she was taken into custody by the Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office.

The release notes that a criminal charge is merely an accusation, and Doty is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.