Ohio Dept. Investigation Leads to Indictment of Woman on Fraud Charges

Ohio Insurance Director Ann Womer Benjamin announced that recent investigations conducted by the Department’s Fraud Unit have lead to three indictments of Ohioans attempting to defraud insurance companies. The lead case involved Fairfield County resident Brenda Johnson who allegedly swindled more than $300,000 from various insurance companies in the state.

A Fairfield County Grand Jury returned a 13-count indictment against Johnson which includes charges of insurance fraud, theft, money laundering, failure to file an income tax return, and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a felony of the first degree which carries a possible 10-year prison sentence.

In all, Johnson is facing a possible prison sentence of more than 36 years and forfeiture of her residence in Stoutsville.

Johnson, who allegedly used more than seven aliases in applying for insurance policies, is accused of filing numerous fraudulent claims with several different insurance companies, resulting in total losses estimated at more than $300,000.

The reported scheme, which began in 1998, includes allegations of staged car crashes and suspicious fires.