AFLAC Scheme Nets 5 Jail Time

ATLANTA, GA--If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it might be a duck. Michael Moore, U S Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia announced that five defendants entered pleas of guilty to one court of health care insurance fraud against American Family Life Assurance Company, aka Aflac. This act of fraud violated the law as written in 18 USC § 1347(2). 

The defendants entered guilty pleas before Honorable Clay Land, U S District Judge in Columbus, Georgia and will be sentenced on December 8, 2011. The defendants are:

Defendant	Case Number
Dontavius Dowdell age 29, Columbus, GA	4:11-CR-10-CDL
Derrick Jones, age 43, Columbus, GA	4:11-CR-11-CDL
Steven Lester, age 28, Marietta, GA	4:11-CR-12-CDL
Camille Toney, age 23, Phenix City, AL	4:11-CR-15-CDL
Ronnie Moore, age 47, Columbus, GA	4:11-CR-13-CDL

 

Aflac is engaged in business both within and outside the state of Georgia. While Aflac engages in various types of businesses, its primary function is to provide supplemental insurance (health care benefit program) to policyholders who are ill or injured, or both, and are unable to work. Each defendant submitted fraudulent claims against their supplemental insurance policies with Aflac to fraudulently obtain funds ranging in various amounts from $243.75 to $67,105.00. AFLAC's actual loss was more than $500,000.00. Each defendant faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment, a $250,000.00 fine, or both, and three years of supervised release. "These types of cases have a far-reaching effect and are a priority of the Department of Justice," Moore said.

The cases were investigated by Special Agent David Whitlow, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Verda Colvin. For additional information, please contact Sue McKinney, Public Affairs Specialist at (478) 621-2602.