Robert Allen Bentley, 36, faces a trio of charges.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte roofing contractor has been arrested on felony charges after allegedly conspiring to damage a roof and file a fraudulent insurance claim, North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced Friday.
36-year-old Robert Allen Bentley, a senior project manager with A&M Premier Roofing & Construction, was arrested Dec. 10 and charged with insurance fraud, attempting to obtain property by false pretense, and conspiracy. A second arrest is pending.
Officials say that, according to the arrest warrant, Bentley conspired with a co-worker to defraud North Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance Group by damaging and bending shingles on the roof of a Wake County home and then claiming the damage was caused by wind and hail. The false claim sought $30,000 from the insurance company.
The arrest resulted from a two-month investigation coordinated by the Department of Insurance’s fraud investigators and Farm Bureau’s Special Investigations Unit. The operation used a “bait house” to catch roofing company employees intentionally damaging a roof to create repair work and support fraudulent insurance claims.
Investigators employed an engineering expert, advanced surveillance techniques and traditional police work to build the case. North Carolina Farm Bureau provided material support to the investigation.
“Roofing scams are serious crimes, and I want to thank Farm Bureau for partnering with the Department’s special agents in this two-month investigation,” Causey said. “Roof scammers should be on alert that our special agents, as well as insurance companie,s are active in efforts to make a dent in this crime, which costs insurance companies and homeowners’ insurance premium payers alike.”
Shawn Harding, North Carolina Farm Bureau president, said insurance fraud harms customers by raising premiums.
“That’s why we partnered with Commissioner Causey and the Department of Insurance in this successful sting operation,” Harding said. “We’re pleased that the individuals charged are being held accountable, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Commissioner and the Department to prevent and deter fraud in the roofing industry.”
The Department of Insurance encourages anyone who suspects insurance fraud or other white-collar crimes to report it anonymously by calling the Criminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840 or toll-free at 888-680-7684. Information is also available online.
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Clinton Mora is a reporter for Trending Insurance News. He has previously worked for the Forbes. As a contributor to Trending Insurance News, Clinton covers emerging a wide range of property and casualty insurance related stories.