Landscaper made $148,000 by lying about ‘stolen’ mowers, officials say. Now he’s charged [The Charlotte Observer]

The owner of a Georgia lawn care company falsely reported his lawn mower stolen — and state investigators said he did it more than once.

The yearslong ruse netted the 57-year-old Austell man $148,000 in fraudulent insurance payouts, according to state Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King.

The landscaper was charged on Dec. 5 in connection with an insurance fraud that occurred in Gwinnett County, the commissioner said in a Dec. 22 news release. He hasn’t been arrested, however, and was still wanted as of Dec. 28.

Investigators said the man owned Atlanta Lawn Company LLC and reported one of his mowers stolen to the Gwinnett County Police Department in December 2019.

He also filed a fake theft claim with Main Street Assurance Company and was paid $19,000 for his “loss,” King said.

“Upon closer inspection, it was found that [the landscaper] was connected to at least eight fraudulent lawnmower theft claims between 2018 and 2021,” King said in the release. “In addition to submitting forged documents, the suspect used several false aliases when filing the claims.

In all, investigators said the man pocketed “approximately $148,000” in insurance money.

Austell is about 20 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta.

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