Read more: Local, Crime, Florence County, 2 Pleaded Guilty, Insurance Fraud
Two people from Florence County have pleaded guilty to insurance fraud, the S.C. Attorney General's Office announced Friday.
Michael Ginn, 42, and Melissa Dingle, 41, pleaded guilty to presenting false claims for payment of more than $1,000, but less than $5,000, to defraud an insurer.
Judge Ralph Anderson of the Florence County General Sessions Court sentenced Ginn to five years suspended upon the service of 100 days and five years probation. Ginn was given credit for 100 days already served. The probation is conditioned upon completion of 300 hours of community service. Judge Anderson sentenced Dingle to five years suspended to four years probation, to be served concurrently with her present probation on unrelated charges.
Authorities said that on Sept. 8, 2006, Ginn, Dingle and Dingle's minor son entered the Piggly Wiggly grocery store on Palmetto Street in Florence County and faked a slip and fall. Ginn poured liquid on the floor and Dingle purposely fell, they said. Dingle was taken to the hospital and filed an injury claim with Piggly Wiggly's insurance carrier, St. Paul's Traveler's Insurance, for $1,900 and for lost income. Traveler's denied the claim and no money was paid. Both defendants confessed to SLED.
The case was prosecuted by the South Carolina Attorney General's Office.
The South Carolina Insurance News Service reports a few interesting facts related to insurance fraud:
The greatest number of complaints were due to automobile insurance fraud (57%) and personal/commercial property fraud (12%) followed by workers' compensation fraud (11%) and health/medical fraud (10%).
Cases have come from all around the state of South Carolina and break down by region as follows:
- Low Country - 37% (175)
- Pee Dee - 22% (106)
- Piedmont - 22% (103)
- Midlands - 19% (88)
Charleston County reported both the highest number of complaints made (29) and the highest total amount of insurance fraud reported with $921,756.49 reported in insurance fraud.
The South Carolina Insurance Fraud Hotline, 1-888-95-FRAUD,is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for reporting insurance fraud, which can be a felony in South Carolina. All reports remain confidential.
For more information on insurance fraud, link to the South Carolina Insurance News Service at www.scinsurance.net.
For more than 30 years the South Carolina Insurance News Service, a nonprofit organization, has been providing property and casualty insurance information to consumers in South Carolina. The South Carolina Insurance News Service is funded by insurance companies doing business in South Carolina.
