2/19/2008
CHARLESTON, WV -- West Virginia Insurance Commissioner, Jane L. Cline, announced today that a Putnam County man plead guilty to one felony count of insurance fraud for his involvement in disposing of his wife's minivan by pushing it over a hill on Poplar Fork Road in January of 2007. In November of 2007, three individuals were arrested in Putnam County for perpetrating the insurance fraud. Diana K. Phillips, age 52 of Hurricane, Charles Keith Phillips, age 44 also of Hurricane, and James T. Willis age 39 of St. Albans, were arrested by Sgt. Timothy Bledsoe of the WV State Police, who is assigned full time to the Offices of Insurance Commissioner's Fraud Unit, and were arraigned Monday, November 26, 2007. All three individuals at that time were charged with one felony count of "conspiracy to commit insurance fraud", as well as one misdemeanor charge of "witness intimidation", which is related to the criminal investigation.
In addition to the first two charges, Mr. Phillips was also charged separately with one felony count of "conspiracy to commit malicious wounding", which is also related to the insurance fraud charges. Mr. Willis was also charged with "obtaining a controlled substance under false pretenses" due to an investigation by another law enforcement agency. Mr. Willis pleaded guilty on January 3, 2008 to one felony count of insurance fraud and was waiting to be sentenced when he passed away in late January.
Mr. Phillip's plea agreement includes making restitution to Nationwide Insurance Company in the amount of $15,602.85. The charges against Diana K. Phillips were dropped as a result of the guilty plea by her husband. When sentenced, Mr. Phillips faces a one (1) to ten (10) year sentence in a state penitentiary and up to a $10,000 fine, or both.
Commissioner Cline added, "Automobile insurance rates are affected by criminal acts such as these and we are committed to investigate and prosecute individuals who try and use insurance as a means of personal profit, while other customers pay for their acts".
Contact Information
Jason Butcher
304-558-6279 ext. 1237