Insurance Fraud Scheme: Dallas Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison
A Dallas man, identified as the architect of a nearly $5 million insurance fraud scheme, was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution, according to court records.
The Scheme
In June 2022, Jordan Ford, 32, was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and pleaded guilty three months later. U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman sentenced him to 157 months in prison and ordered him to pay about $4.47 million to the defrauded insurance companies.
Collusion with Insurance Employees
Ford and eight people he colluded with recruited insurance company employees to supply them with clients’ personal information. They then passed the stolen data to Ford, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.
How the Scheme Worked
Ford would use the information to pose as clients and request that they update the payment information to accounts Ford and his people controlled, according to court records. In some cases, Ford paid insurance employees to give him access to their company-issued laptops. He then logged into the companies’ systems, authorized payments, and issued funds to accounts he controlled.
The Consequences
The scheme misdirected funds from at least three insurance companies, totaling more than $4.4 million. Those companies, all described as “large” insurance companies operating in the U.S., are not named in the criminal complaint detailing the charge against Ford.
All Nine Defendants Plead Guilty
All nine defendants charged in the scheme have pleaded guilty to a charge as part of the investigation, according to the district attorney news release. The release states that includes Humberto Corona, Jaquan Hall, and Elexis McClain, who recruited insurance employees and handled fraudulent proceeds. It also includes insurance employees Timothy Starling, Desiree Thomas, Daja Webb, Elquavia Dodd, and Sesedrick Wedlow, who were paid for providing stolen client information and granting Ford access to company systems.
Sentencing and Aftermath
Ford was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals after the sentencing and was being held at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, according to Federal Bureau of Prisons records. Corona, Hall, McClain, Starling, Thomas, Webb, Dodd, and Wedlow remained in federal custody as of Thursday, the prison records show.
Conclusion
The sentence and conviction of Jordan Ford and his co-conspirators serve as a warning to those who engage in fraudulent activities. Insurance fraud schemes can have severe consequences, including lengthy prison sentences and financial penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What was the scope of the insurance fraud scheme?
A: The scheme involved the misdirection of funds from at least three insurance companies, totaling more than $4.4 million.
Q: How did the scheme work?
A: Ford and his co-conspirators recruited insurance company employees to supply them with clients’ personal information. They then used this information to pose as clients and request updates to accounts they controlled.
Q: How many defendants were charged in the scheme?
A: Nine defendants, including Ford and eight others, were charged in the scheme.
Q: What was the sentence of Jordan Ford?
A: Ford was sentenced to 157 months in prison and ordered to pay about $4.47 million to the defrauded insurance companies.
