Kansas Man Sentenced on Insurance Fraud Charges, Ordered to Repay $47,685

A Sharon Springs attorney and former insurance agent has been ordered to repay $47,685 and will serve 18 months probation after pleading guilty to forgery, failing to forward an insurance premium, theft by deception and false impersonation, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said.

Richard Dean Dinkel of Sharon Springs pleaded guilty to the charges on July 25 and was sentenced in Wallace County District Court September 6. The sentence includes an underlying term of 14 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections, but Dinkel was subsequently granted probation for a term of 18 months. He is also required to perform 200 hours of community service.

Dinkel was a licensed attorney at the time of the crimes, and was licensed as a title insurance agent prior to the crimes. He is no longer licensed to sell title insurance and his license to practice law is currently suspended as a result of his criminal conviction.

Special Assistant Attorney General Brenda Clary with the Kansas Insurance Department prosecuted the case.