A Norcross insurance agent was arrested Thursday and charged with multiple counts of fraud, Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens said.
John Paul Kill, 63, was charged with selling bogus policies and operating an unlicensed insurance company —Appeal Insurance Agency — at 5548 Naylor Court.
He was booked into jail on 10 counts of insurance fraud after being arrested at his home. No bond has been set, Hudgens said.
“There is a serious financial threat to consumers whenever you have a small operation like this, ran out of someone’s home without proper regulatory oversight,” Hudgens said. “Our investigation has turned up more than 750 potential victims of this scam and we expect for additional charges to be filed.”
Insurance fraud is a felony with a penalty of two to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Kill targeted commercial trucking firms and constructions companies, Hudgens said. The investigation found businesses located in Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee and Vermont affected by the fraud.
Hudgens urges buyers of policies to confirm with their insurance company whether coverage was in force. If a consumer finds that he or she is not covered, they should call the Insurance Department’s Consumer Services Division at 1-800-656-2298.
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