Wilson County pair arrested on multiple fraud charges

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCT) -- On Thursday, North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced the arrests of two people from Wilson on insurance fraud charges.

Julius Darnell Kelly, 50, of Wilson, and Virginia Jones Maddox, 57, of 812 Belmont Ave. SW, Wilson were arrested. Kelly was charged with four counts of identity theft, two counts of insurance fraud, two counts of obtaining property by false pretense, one count of attempting to obtain property by false pretense, one count of forgery and two counts of title application fraud, all felonies. Maddox was charged with three counts of felony notary fraud.

Special agents from the North Carolina Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division collaborated with the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles' License and Theft Bureau, the Wilson Police Department and the Wilson County Sheriff's Office to make the arrests.

Agents allege that Kelly used the identity of another person to title a vehicle and then to insure it. Kelly then filed insurance claims on the vehicle after it was involved in a wreck. Kelly is also accused of using the identity of two other people and submitting a claim, along with fraudulent medical invoices totaling more than $15,000. Maddox is alleged to have notarized fraudulent documents that Kelly provided to her. Some of the offenses originated in October of 2022.

Kelly was being held under a $60,000 secured bond, while Maddox was released on a $5,000 secured bond on April 12.

"This year-long and multi-agency investigation took a lot of teamwork and commitment by law enforcement, and I am grateful to all who were involved," Commissioner Causey said. "Insurance fraud must be rooted out and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Approximately 20 cents of every insurance premium dollar go to covering the cost of fraud. I'm determined to protect consumers and aggressively pursue the scam artists and crooked operators in North Carolina and beyond."

If you suspect insurance fraud, report it. You may anonymously report fraud by calling the N.C. Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840 or toll free from anywhere in North Carolina at 888-680-7684.