Fla. CFO Patronis Announces Arrest of Four Miami Insurance Agents in Life Insurance Fraud Scheme

MIAMI, Florida, Oct. 24 -- lorida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis issued the following news release on Oct. 23, 2023:

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced the arrest of four licensed insurance agents in Miami-Dade County identified as Alexander Faneites, Nicolas Giraldo Gutierrez, Yuriatsi Carrasco and Yanet Hernandez Suarez for allegedly submitting fraudulent life insurance policy applications to collect commission monies paid for each new policy. In total, more than $38,000 was taken in fraudulent commission payouts.

CFO Jimmy Patronis said, "As Florida's Chief Financial Officer, my office licenses and regulates insurance agents and ensures that those who enter this profession understand the responsibilities that come with carrying an insurance license. If that power is abused and used to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers, we will find you and happily throw you in jail. Thank you to my fraud detectives for their hard work and the diligence they put into this case to root out these scammers. Also, thank you to Miami-Dade State attorney Katherine Rundle and her team for prosecuting this case and ensuring the next thing these fraudsters see is the inside of a jail cell. If you or someone you know is suspicious of fraud, please report it immediately at FraudFreeFlorida.com."

Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said, "CFO Patronis and I are fully committed to combatting insurance fraud, or fraud of any kind in Miami-Dade County. These four former licensed insurance agents, now charged with felonies, appeared to believe that their inside insurance position made them immune to prosecution. They were wrong. I applaud the investigative efforts of CFO Patronis' fraud team and count CFO Patronis and his investigators as key partners in our efforts to stop fraudsters from reaching into the pockets of every Florida resident."

The Department of Financial Services, Division of Investigative and Forensic Services received several referrals from John Hancock Life Insurance Company alleging that several appointed insurance agents created fraudulent term life Insurance policy applications and collected commission on these fraudulent policies. The investigation discovered that from November 2020 to January 2022 numerous fraudulent life insurance policy applications were being independently submitted by these now former John Hancock insurance agents to collect commission monies they were not entitled to receive. These insurance agents would utilize the personal identity information of unsuspecting and unwilling consumers on the fabricated life insurance policy applications. Those consumers were contacted, interviewed, and indicated that they never applied for and were unaware there were life insurance policies taken out in their name. Examination of financial records showed the commission monies being paid by John Hancock Insurance deposited in the agents' personal bank accounts. The total amount identified as stolen at this time from these acts is $38,799.26.

Alexander Faneites, Nicolas Giraldo Gutierrez, Yuriatsi Carrasco and Yanet Hernandez Suarez were booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on charges including Grand Theft, Identity Theft, and Application Fraud. If convicted on all charges, they each face up to 15 years in prison. The Miami-Dade Office of the State Attorney will prosecute this case. Additional arrests are expected.

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About CFO Jimmy Patronis

Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis is a statewide elected official and a member of Florida's Cabinet who oversees the Department of Financial Services. CFO Patronis works each day to fight insurance fraud, support Florida's firefighters, and ensure the state's finances are stable to support economic growth in the state.

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Original text here: https://myfloridacfo.com/news/pressreleases/press-release-details/2023/10/23/cfo-patronis-announces-arrest-of-four-miami-insurance-agents-in-life-insurance-fraud-scheme