A Renton, WA man has been added to Washington Insurance coverage Commissioner Mike Kriedler’s insurance coverage fraud most needed checklist after making an attempt to defraud his insurer by claiming his repossessed automotive was “stolen.”
The King County Prosecutor’s Workplace has charged John Michael St. Clair with false claims or proof, and issued a warrant for his arrest – resulting from extra warrants served towards him up to now, in addition to his historical past of failing to seem for court docket hearings.
In response to the Washington Workplace of the Insurance coverage Commissioner’s Prison Investigations Unit (CIU), St. Clair traded in his 2018 Audi and one other 2019 Audi to buy an Audi S8 in April 2021. However unknown to the seller at the moment, St. Clair had an excellent lien on one of many vehicles. The dealership ended up paying $14,468 to clear up the lien.
The dealership later knowledgeable St. Clair that he needed to return the Audi S8, due to the lien. When St. Clair did not comply, the Audi S8 was repossessed with the assistance of Renton police. The repossession was carried out with St. Clair’s full information.
On the next day after the automotive was repossessed, St. Clair filed a stolen automobile report with Seattle Police Division. He additionally filed a declare along with his insurer GEICO, saying that the automobile was stolen. St. Clair was seeking to obtain a $129,500 insurance coverage payout for the worth of the automobile.
However GEICO launched an investigation of its personal, the Washington Workplace of the Insurance coverage Commissioner mentioned in a launch, discovering that the automobile in query was repossessed and never stolen. The insurer denied the declare and notified the CIU. CIU’s personal investigation then confirmed the insurer’s findings, and the case was finally referred to the King County Prosecutor’s Workplace.
The Washington Workplace of the Insurance coverage Commissioner has inspired anybody who has info on St. Clair to both contact their native enforcement company or the CIU.
