North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrests of Annie Stafford Wagner, 77, and Falecia Vernell Wagner, 52, both of N. Jackson Ave., Winston-Salem and Trayvon DeQuan Wagner, 32, of 305 W. Ward Ave., High Point.
Annie Wagner was charged with insurance fraud and obtaining property by false pretense, both felonies. Falecia Wagner was charged with three counts of insurance fraud, two counts of obtaining property by false pretense and one count of attempting to obtain property by false pretense. All six charges are felonies.
Trayvon Wagner was charged with five counts of insurance fraud, four counts of attempting to obtain property by false pretense, two counts of aiding and abetting, one count of obtaining property by false pretense, one count of common law uttering and one count of common law forgery. All 14 charges are felonies. Trayvon Wagner was also charged with one count of misdemeanor fraud.
According to special agents with the Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division, the Wagners, a grandmother, mother and grandson trio, made numerous false claims on their State Farm Insurance rental property policy, including false claims involving food spoilage, damage to a television, and equipment malfunction at their properties, some they claimed was due to storm damage. Trayvon Wagner also submitted several of these requests for damage under assumed names or identities. Trayvon also assisted the other two on their false claims.
According to the arrest warrants, the offenses occurred on Dec. 7, 2023, Dec. 20, 2023, March 21, 2024, July 23, 2024 and Aug. 24, 2024.
Annie and Falecia Wagner were served with criminal summons on Jan. 31. Trayvon Wagner was already in custody on previous charges and is being held under a $55,000 secured bond for charges in both Forsyth and Guilford counties. He is expected to appear in Forsyth County District Court on March 3 and in Guilford County District Court on Feb. 24.
“Insurance fraud hits consumers in the wallet,” Commissioner Causey said. “Approximately 20 cents of every insurance premium dollar go to covering the cost of fraud. I’m fighting this by aggressively pursuing and prosecuting insurance fraud in North Carolina.”
If you suspect insurance fraud or other white-collar crimes, please report it. You may anonymously report fraud by calling the N.C. Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840 or toll free from anywhere in North Carolina at 888-680-7684.
Information is also available at www.ncdoi.gov.