Ill. Man Sentenced for Selling Bogus Insurance to Entertainment Providers

Ill. Attorney General Lisa Madigan recently announced that a Cook County judge has sentenced a River Forest, Ill. man to seven and one-half years in prison for charges related to a scheme involving the sale of liability insurance to more 200 entertainment providers in Illinois and across the country.

Cook County Circuit Court Judge David A. Skryd sentenced Richard Brooks, of River Forest, to seven and one-half years in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). Brooks pled guilty to nine counts of Theft over $100,000, Class 1 felonies and one count of Mail Fraud, a Class X felony.

The charges stem from Brooks’ purported sales of commercial general liability insurance offered by Lloyds of London to entertainment providers, including circuses, circus acts, a mime troupe in San Francisco, owners of mechanical bulls, owners of artificial rock climbing walls and a company that offered bungee jumping rides. Brooks also purported to sell automobile liability insurance offered by Fire and Casualty Insurance Company of Connecticut to some of the entertainment providers.

Brooks never had authority to sell insurance for Lloyds of London nor Fire and Casualty Insurance Company of Connecticut. Brooks has not been licensed to act as an insurance producer in Illinois since 1997 and never obtained the insurance he purported to sell to the entertainment providers.

The case was jointly investigated by Madigan’s office and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant Attorney General Edward Carter prosecuted the case for Madigan’s office.

Source: Illinois Attorney General’ Office