North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced that a Lenoir County woman who filed 287 fraudulent cancer insurance claims was sentenced to 44 to 65 months in prison after pleading guilty to false pretense charges stemming from an investigation by special agents by the department's Criminal Investigations Division.
Susan Leigh Huebotter, 60, of 912 Joshua Creek Road, Deep Run, was also ordered to pay $231,306.25 in restitution to Aflac Insurance Co.
"I want to thank our Department of Insurance special agents and prosecution team for their hard work in resolving this case," Commissioner Causey said. "Honest consumers pay a high price for the insurance money stolen by the dishonest insurance scammers."
Special agents arrested Huebotter on March 22 in Lenoir County. According to arrest warrants, she made the false insurance claims without being diagnosed, treated, or having surgery for cancer between 2009 and 2017.
Commissioner Causey said he and his administration will continue to make fighting and prosecuting insurance fraud a top priority.
"Fighting insurance fraud and vigorously pursuing prosecution of insurance fraud has been a top priority at the Department of Insurance since I was sworn in as commissioner," Commissioner Causey said. "Insurance fraud and white-collar crime continue to be major problems in North Carolina and across the nation."
When Commissioner Causey took office on Jan. 1, 2017, the Department of Insurance only had 20 officers to investigate insurance fraud in North Carolina's 100 counties.
Since taking office, Commissioner Causey has urged the N.C. General Assembly to fund more positions to fight insurance fraud. Lawmakers responded positively, providing funding to more than double the number of special agents investigating fraud. Lawmakers also provided funding for three attorneys to help district attorneys across the state fight insurance fraud, one of which helped prosecute Huebotter.
"In a state of over 10 million people, we continue to need additional law enforcement to battle this ever-growing problem of insurance fraud and white-collar crime," Commissioner Causey said.
To report suspected fraud, contact the N.C. Department of Insurance Criminal Investigation Division at 919-807-6840. Callers may remain anonymous. Information is also available at www.ncdoi.gov/fraud-control.