Des Moines - Joseph Bennett, age 40, of Linden, pled guilty on March 30, 2023, to one count Presenting False Information (Class D Felony) and one count of Fraudulent Application Submission (Class D Felony) following an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau.
The investigation began in September of 2022 after the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau received information indicating Bennett had provided false information to an insurer following an automobile accident in Dallas County.
The investigation determined that Bennett submitted an application for insurance claiming there to be no prior damage to his motor vehicle. An insurance policy was issued to Bennett based on the information he provided in his application. Bennett then submitted a loss claim to an insurer, and made false representations regarding the nature of the loss in an effort to secure benefits of the policy. He claimed that his vehicle sustained damage after hitting a deer when, in fact, the damage was the result of a collision proven to have occurred prior to the issuance of his policy. Bennett was arrested on January 12, 2023.
Following his guilty plea, Bennett received a five-year suspended prison sentence and was placed on supervised probation for a period of five years. Bennett was also ordered to pay a fine of $2,050.
Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-654-6556.
Photo Courtesy of Dallas County Jail.
Official State of Iowa Website
Here is how you know