A Smith Center woman has been convicted of insurance fraud and related charges, Derek Schmidt, Kansas attorney general said.
Trisha A. Wiehl, 40, was found guilty in Smith County District Court of one count of insurance fraud, four counts of theft, 35 counts of making false information, eight counts of insurance agent or broker failing to pay premium to company, six counts of forgery, and three counts of false impersonation. The case stemmed from an investigation by the Kansas Insurance Department and the attorney general’s fraud and abuse litigation division, which discovered that between May, 2016, and August, 2018, Wiehl committed numerous crimes related to her work as an insurance agent, including:
Filing fraudulent and false insurance claims against her customers’ insurance policies and keeping the insurance payment for herself. The total amount of insurance payments Wiehl received through these claims was more than $100,000.
Receiving payment of insurance premiums from customers, including the Smith County Fair Board, keeping the money for herself and never obtaining an insurance policy for the customers.
Receiving payment of insurance premiums from customers, including the city of Smith Center and a local business, and keeping this money for herself rather than submitting the payments to the insurance companies.
Forging signatures, including the signature of the Smith Center city clerk, to take out loans in the names of her customers and using those loan proceeds to pay their insurance premiums.
Chief Judge Preston Pratt, following a bench trial, convicted Wiehl and ordered her to pay a $3,000 fine and serve 36 months probation.
The case was prosecuted by Paul Brothers, assistant attorney general of Schmidt’s office.
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