JOHNSTON COUNTY MAN FACES 54 FELONY FRAUD, FALSE PRETENSE CHARGES

The following information was released by the North Carolina Department of Insurance:

Warrants accuse man of obtaining nearly $1 million from false travel insurance claims

RALEIGH

Aug 15, 2025

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Michael Gerard Renna, 50, of 258 Chatsworth Lane, Clayton. Renna was charged with 26 counts of insurance fraud, 18 counts of obtaining property by false pretense and 10 counts of attempting to obtain property by false pretense, all felonies.

Special agents with the Department of Insurance's Criminal Investigations Division accuse Renna of obtaining $955,640.65 and attempting to obtain another $887,571.02 from 12 travel insurance companies by forging medical documents and altering ID forms, credit card statements and airline flight information provided to the insurance companies to support his insurance claims.

The offenses occurred between 2020 and 2024.

Special agents arrested Renna on Friday, Aug. 15. He was given a $1 million secured bond. He is scheduled to appear in Johnston County District Court on Aug. 18

"I want to thank our special agents for the hard work they put into this case," Commissioner Causey said. "Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime. It hits all of us in the pocket through higher premiums."