2 Plead Guilty in Louisiana Insurance Scam

Two Livingston Parish, La., residents have pleaded guilty in a mail fraud scheme involving more than $100 million in life insurance policies and hundreds of thousands of dollars in commissions.

Jason Paul Austin and Dena A. Gaudet pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

Gaudet admitted she conspired with an insurance agent, identified only as “T.S.,” to obtain $3.5 million life insurance policies from both New York Life and Lincoln Financial.

While “T.S.” was not identified, she and five other people originally were charged in cases that were alleged to have revolved around insurance agent Timothy R. Schlatre.

Austin admitted that he and “T.S.” conspired to falsely show his net worth to be $200,000.

The Advocate reports Gaudet and Austin will be sentenced on Feb. 27.