Aflac Employee Sentenced for Claims Fraud in Georgia

A former insurance worker has pleaded guilty in a Columbus court to charges she helped defraud Aflac of nearly $300,000 in claims.

U.S. District Court Judge Clay Land sentenced Danyele Grothen to 27 months in prison. She also will pay $293,025 in restitution.

Her indictment states that between September 2004 and August 2006, Grothen sent faxes from Washington to Aflac’s Columbus office. Authorities discovered Grothen used false pretenses about insurance claims for medical procedures that didn’t happen or weren’t necessary, which led to Aflac issuing close to $300,000 in claims.

Court records show Grothen initially faced 15 counts of wire fraud. She pleaded guilty to one count, and the other charges were dismissed.