Texas-Based Public Insurance Adjuster Arrested Suspected of Nearly $600,000 in Insurance Fraud in Louisiana
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Texas-Based Public Insurance Adjuster Arrested Suspected of Nearly $600,000 in Insurance Fraud in Louisiana
Louisiana – Louisiana State Police have arrested a Texas man affiliated with Texas-based Mitchell Adjusting International LLC for allegedly defrauding homeowners of over $592,000 in insurance claims following Hurricane Ida. Mitchell allegedly solicited victims, secured higher settlements, forged signatures, and failed to transfer payments to homeowners.
Louisiana State Police revealed on January 12, 2023, that in August of 2022, the LSP Insurance Fraud/Auto Theft Unit New Orleans Field Office (LSP-IFAT-NFO) began receiving information from the Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) regarding allegations of misconduct by Mitchell Adjusting International LLC (MAI), a Louisiana licensed public adjuster firm based in Texas. According to the information acquired, MAI fraudulently obtained funds while doing insurance business linked to property damage caused by Hurricane Ida.
During the investigation, it was discovered that the proprietor of MAI was 43-year-old Andrew Mitchell of Clear Lake Shores, Texas. According to the inquiry, Mitchell began soliciting victims of property damage in numerous parishes throughout Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. Mitchell deposited the funds after securing a higher settlement but failed to transfer the payments to the homeowner. Mitchell forged the homeowner’s signature in several instances to collect the monies.
To date, seven victims have been identified in four parishes, with settlement claims totaling more than $592,000.
Detectives secured arrest warrants for Mitchell in the parishes of St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, Orleans, and Tangipahoa as a consequence of the investigation. Mitchell was booked into the Nelson Coleman Correctional Center in St. Charles Parish on January 12, 2023, for Theft (2 counts).
Mitchell will also be booked into the St. John Parish Correctional Facility for Theft (3 counts) and Forgery (3 counts), the Orleans Parish Prison for Theft (1 count) and Forgery (1 count), and the Tangipahoa Parish Correctional Facility for Theft (1 count) and Forgery (1 count) (1 count).
The LSP-IFAT-NFO is still looking into other claims of fraud against Mitchell Adjusting International LLC. Louisiana State Police is encouraging the public to contact LSP-IFAT-NFO if they have any information on this scheme or any other insurance fraud-related issues. Citizens can contact the LSP-IFAT at [email protected] to report suspected fraud.
An arrest is an indication that probable cause exists to believe the subject was involved in the offense alleged. A person is innocent until proven guilty.
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