ATLANTA- On June 13, 2019, the Georgia Department of Insurance announced the arrests of two people suspected in an insurance fraud scheme stretching from the east coast all the way to California. It is estimated that the scheme resulted in a $120 million loss. The arrests are the result of an investigation by the California Department of insurance.
“The suspects in this scheme conducted their illegal activity in numerous states, but it was the California Department of Insurance that took the lead in bringing these men in,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona. “This investigation took years and investigators stuck with it.”
Arrested were:
- Wesley Bernard Owens, 47, of Suwanee, GA on – On 18 counts including 6 counts of insurance fraud, 6 counts of ID fraud, 2 counts of felony theft, 2 counts of forgery, 1 count of operating an unlawful insurance business, 1 count of conspiracy to commit a Crime.
- Beau Eric Wilson, 34, of Gainesville, GA – on 29 counts including 13 counts of felony theft, 6 counts of insurance fraud, 6 counts of ID fraud, 2 counts of forgery, 1 count of operating an unlawful insurance business, 1 count of conspiracy to commit a crime.
Owens is the CEO of Bison Workforce Solutions and Bison Data Systems which are both based in
Gwinnett County, Georgia. A search warrant was executed in May of 2017 at the businesses in coordination with the California Department of Insurance. After processing data and conducting interviews, the California Department of Insurance moved forward with the case.
Owens and Wilson allegedly created fake certificates of insurance claiming large groups of agricultural
workers were insured when they were not. The certificates claimed the workers were temporary office
staffers. The scheme collapsed when injury claims coming into California were not paid because there was never insurance on the workers to begin with.
Agents also attempted to serve an arrest warrant at the home of Ronda Nicole Taylor, 48, of
Stone Mountain as she has 21 outstanding warrants in connection with the scheme.
A fourth suspect was also arrested in Florida.
Media report on arrests: http://www.ktvu.com/news/special-agents-raid-homes-of-2-men-accused-of-insurance-fraud-scheme
