SANTA ANA – On August 14, 2018, Luan Quoc Nguyen, 42, of Irvine, was arrested on multiple felony counts of grand theft, burglary and identity theft after allegedly using his status as a licensed insurance agent to steal more than $10,000 from six victims.
Nguyen, a licensed insurance agent at the time, was responsible for applying clients' premium checks to their annuities and life insurance policies. After Nguyen was terminated for improperly handling a customer check, the California Department of Insurance launched an investigation, which revealed Nguyen allegedly failed to remit client checks and altered voided checks from clients to deposit $5,481.55 in stolen funds into his own bank account for personal use.
“It simply amazes me how much insurance fraud takes place in this state,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona. “California Department of Insurance investigators certainly put a dent in it by investigating fraudulent individuals, arresting them, and assisting in the prosecution. I only wish there were more of them!”
Investigators also found evidence that he allegedly committed identity theft against a former roommate. Nguyen allegedly used the victim's personal identifying information to submit a bogus annuity application to the insurer, likely in an attempt to earn fraudulent commissions. He is also alleged to have stolen a business check from this same victim to write a fraudulent check in the amount of $4,800 to cover up another premium theft.
Nguyen was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) while crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. He was booked into the San Diego Central Jail and then transferred to the Orange County Men's Jail in Santa Ana. Bail is set at $100,000.
