News: Arson, Healthcare Fraud Convictions and Cop Guilty of Insurance Fraud

A Dallas, Texas, woman with a history of filing 31 insurance claims against a dozen companies got burned when one turned out to be arson.

Genevieve Thompson was sentenced this week to 30 years in prison after Dallas Judge Tracy Holmes found Thompson intentionally set her house on fire to collect insurance money. Thompson pleaded guilty to arson and insurance fraud.

On June 12, 2017, the Dallas Fire Department was called to a house fire on Rock Bluff Drive. An investigation found that the fire had been started on purpose. The Texas Department of Insurance Fraud Unit assisted the Dallas Fire Department on the case. Their investigation revealed Thompson had filed at least 15 insurance claims on her home in the 18 months before the fire.

Stephanie Martin, the lead prosecutor for the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office was assisted by TDI Chief Prosecutor Kyson Johnson. Dallas County is one of five district attorney’s offices around the state that work with TDI by embedding prosecutors and investigators to fight insurance fraud.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company Announces Two Workers’ Comp Healthcare Fraud Convictions

Texas Mutual Insurance Company recently announced that Marcos Ricoy of Harlingen, Texas and Enrique Colon of Deer Park, Texas pleaded no contest to a felony charge of engaging in organized criminal activity involving workers’ compensation health care fraud.

Ricoy will serve three years deferred adjudication, complete 120 community service hours, and paid $10,000 in restitution to Texas Mutual. Colon will serve three years deferred adjudication, participate in any court-ordered treatment or counseling, and pay $10,000 in restitution to Texas Mutual.

The convictions are in connection to alleged fraud committed by Expert Medical Evaluators International Inc. (EME). Texas Mutual investigated EME, an entity that determined impairment ratings and performed functional capacity evaluations on injured employees in Texas. Texas Mutual alleged that EME used unlicensed providers to perform services and overbilled Texas Mutual. The investigation led to several indictments by a Travis County grand jury on June 28, 2017.

Former Alabama Officer Pleads Guilty to Insurance Fraud

A former police officer in Alabama has pleaded guilty to fraud and theft charges.

The Montgomery Advertiser reported Monday that 51-year-old Leon Todd Townson of Prattville pleaded guilty to insurance fraud in one case and burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary in an unrelated case.

Circuit Judge Ben Fuller has scheduled Townson’s sentencing for Aug. 13. The charges carry penalties ranging from two to 20 years in prison. The burglary charge carries a penalty ranging from one year to 10 years in prison.

Townson was a lieutenant with the Prattville Police Department before he resigned resigning in 2005.