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Two Columbia, Mo., residents have been sentenced in federal courtroom for his or her roles in a $1.1 million insurance coverage fraud scheme that concerned false claims of accidents suffered in faked automobile accidents.
Michael Lee Gene Stapleton, 37, and Latoya Marie Brown, 37, have been sentenced in separate appearances earlier than U.S. District Decide Roseann Ketchmark. Stapleton was sentenced to 4 years and three months in federal jail with out parole and ordered to pay $166,363 in restitution to his victims. Brown was sentenced to 4 years in federal jail with out parole and ordered to pay $72,069 in restitution to her victims.
On April 6, 2023, Stapleton pleaded responsible to 2 counts of aiding and abetting mail fraud. On Feb. 14, 2023, Brown pleaded responsible to 1 depend of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one depend of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
This case stems from a protracted investigation by the FBI into co-defendant Lawrence Courtney Lawhorn, 36, of Kansas Metropolis, Mo. (previously of Columbia), for a sequence of vehicle accidents all through Missouri. All however a kind of accidents have been staged. The conspiracy defrauded six insurance coverage firms of a complete of $1,234,581 from June 2017 to July 2020.
Lawhorn recruited pals, acquittances, household, and pals of pals to take part within the staged accidents. Conspirators went to varied medical suppliers, claiming accidents from the staged accidents and requesting numerous assessments, reminiscent of MRIs, CT scans, and/or X-rays. Conspirators then submitted false claims to insurance coverage firms that that they had suffered bodily accidents and that they’d be personally answerable for any medical payments associated to insurance coverage claims. Conspirators, a few of whom have been concerned in a number of incidents, acquired 1000’s of {dollars}, and in some instances tens of 1000’s of {dollars}, primarily based on these false claims. Nonetheless, not one of the conspirators made any funds to medical suppliers and as a substitute used the funds for his or her private bills.
Brown admitted she was concerned in three incidents and acquired a complete of $44,269 in insurance coverage funds. Two of the accidents have been in Boone County, Mo., and one of many accidents was in Kansas Metropolis, Mo.
Stapleton admitted that he and co-defendant Tara Colleen Jackson, 60, of Independence, Mo., who’s Lawhorn’s mom, participated in a staged vehicle accident in Kansas Metropolis, Mo. State Farm issued a $50,000 test to Stapleton and a $50,000 test to Jackson. Not one of the medical payments totaling $188,920 at Analysis Medical Middle (the place Stapleton was handled) and St. Luke’s East Hospital (the place Jackson was handled) have been paid.
Stapleton and Brown are amongst 16 defendants who’ve been sentenced on this case.
Lawhorn pleaded responsible on June 8, 2023, to 1 depend of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one depend of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and one depend of aggravated identification theft. Lawhorn additionally pleaded responsible in a separate and unrelated case to commit wire fraud. His sentencing date has not but been scheduled.
Jackson pleaded responsible on April 6, 2023, to 1 depend of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one depend of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and awaits sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Legal professional Aaron M. Maness. It was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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