Arkansas Man Sentenced to 3-Year Prison Term for Insurance Fraud

Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Jay Bradford announced that a Pulaski County jury recently found Benjamin Eagle guilty of one count of insurance fraud, – a class D felony – as well as one count of Criminal Attempt to Commit Theft of Property with a value in excess of $2500, a class C felony.

Presiding over the case was Circuit Court Judge Mackie Pierce. Eagle was injured in a March 5, 2007, automobile accident for which he falsely claimed lost wages in the amount of $17,000 from Progressive Insurance Co.

The jury in this trial sentenced Eagle to three years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections on each of the two counts. The terms are to run consecutively. Eagle was also fined $7000 for his misconduct.

“I am pleased to see the jury in this case recognized that insurance fraud is a serious crime and warrants serious punishment,” said Bradford.

It is estimated that 80 to 120 billion dollars in the United States is lost to insurance fraud every year.

This case was prosecuted by Special Chief Prosecutor Dan Reber and Special Deputy Prosecutor Chris Walsh both of whom work in the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) at the Arkansas Insurance Department.

Source: Arkansas Insurance Department