Illinois Announces Disciplinary Actions for November 2010

The Illinois Department of Insurance announced it issued the following disciplinary orders for November 2010:

Adele M. Cowell, Red Bud – Stipulation and Consent Order, effective Oct. 6, 2010. Cowell has been licensed to sell life, accident, health, property, and casualty insurance since Dec. 9, 1986. The order, which includes a $2,000 civil forfeiture and corrective orders, alleges that Cowell offered rebates to Illinois consumers for the purchase of insurance.

Michael G. Camerano, Springfield – Stipulation and Consent Order, effective Sept. 22, 2010. Camerano has been licensed to sell life insurance since Dec.26, 2006. The order, which includes a $3,000 civil forfeiture and corrective orders, alleges that Camerano signed a life insurance application that did not contain the signature of the soliciting agent.

Edward K. Miller, Darien – Stipulation and Consent Order, effective Nov. 8, 2010. Mr. Miller has been licensed to sell property and casualty insurance since June 14, 2007. The order, which includes a $5,000 civil forfeiture and corrective orders, alleges that Miller was: convicted of a felony in 2006; failed to provide felony documentation in accordance with the law; and failed to reveal two denials of previous applications for a license on his 2007 and 2009 renewals.

Ghafran Chishti, Schaumburg & Total Insurance Solutions, Des Plaines – Stipulation and Consent Order, effective Oct. 8, 2010. Chishti and Total Insurance Solutions have been licensed to sell life, accident, health, fire, casualty and variable insurance since Nov. 23, 2005 and Feb. 15, 2007, respectively. The order, which includes a $10,000 civil forfeiture and corrective orders, alleges that Chishti and Total Insurance Solutions: failed to hold premium monies in trust; failed to remit premiums timely to insurer; failed to deposit premiums prior to forwarding to insurer; issued fraudulent certificate of insurance; had unlawful withdrawals from the Premium Fund Trust Account (PFTA); failed to charge service fee properly; had negative balances in the PFTA; failed to properly label the PFTA; failed to maintain a cash receipts and disbursements register for the PFTA; and failed to reconcile PFTA bank records.

Sheldon Brown, Springfield – Insurance producer license revoked, effective Oct. 10, 2010. Brown had been continuously licensed to sell limited lines since March 25, 2010. His license was revoked as a result of an investigation, which revealed that the Licensee had failed to abide by an Insurance Director’s order by failing to pay the civil forfeiture of $1,000 within 45 days and the $165.50 of hearing costs within 30 days as required by the Director’s order. Additionally, the licensee failed to facilitate and aid the Director in the investigation. The revocation includes a $3,000 civil penalty. The licensee may request an administrative hearing on the revocation. The administrative hearing decision may be appealed to the Illinois circuit courts.

Nader Musa, Belleville – Insurance producer license revoked, effective Nov. 18, 2010. Musa was licensed to sell life, accident, health and variable insurance since Oct. 18, 1991.His license was revoked as a result of an investigation, which culminated in Musa entering in to a voluntary revocation of his insurance producer license.

Dragan Djordjevic, Northbrook – Stipulation and Consent Order, effective Nov. 4, 2010. Djordjevic has been licensed to sell life, accident, health, property, casualty and variable insurance since May 19, 1995. The order, which includes a $1,000 civil forfeiture and corrective orders, alleges that Djordjevic failed to reveal a South Dakota denial of an application for a license on his 2008 renewal.

Mark J. Strong, Chicago and Geo F. Brown & Sons, Inc., Chicago – Insurance producer licenses revoked, effective Nov. 8, 2010. Strong and Geo F. Brown & Sons Inc. had been licensed to sell fire and casualty insurance since March 4, 2003 and Sept. 10, 1985, respectively. The licenses were revoked as a result of an investigation, which revealed that the licensee had: improperly withheld premiums of $16,936 from an insurer; made 87 unlawful withdrawals out of the Premium Fund Trust Account(PFTA); improperly withdrew commissions from the PFTA; solicited business for a company that he had no permission to solicit on their behalf; failed to facilitate and aid the Director in an examination; did not maintain positive running balance in the PFTA; did not have proper company authorization to invest premiums; did not maintain cash register receipts; and did not label PFTA correctly. The order requires Strong and Geo F. Brown & Sons Inc. to pay restitution of $16,936 to an insurer and a $100,000 civil penalty within 30 days of the entry day of the order. The licensee may request an administrative hearing on the revocation. The administrative hearing decision may be appealed to the Illinois circuit courts.

Seaton Insurance Company, Warwick, RI – Certificate of Authority to transact insurance business in Illinois revoked, effective Oct. 15, 2010. Seaton, a Rhode Island-domiciled insurer, had its Certificate of Authority revoked after the department found that further transaction of business by Seaton in Illinois would be hazardous to policy holders and creditors in this State and to the public. The licensee may request an administrative hearing on the revocation. The administrative hearing decision may be appealed to the Illinois circuit courts.