February 4, 2021 - LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Former licensed insurance agent and customer service representative Laura Lopez, 37, of Long Beach, was arraigned on one felony count of grand theft after allegedly collecting over $97,000 in insurance premiums from clients and pocketing the premiums.

After receiving a complaint in February 2020, the California Department of Insurance launched an investigation that revealed between February 2016 and September 2019, Lopez collected, and subsequently stole, insurance premiums provided by clients to purchase insurance coverage.

In an attempt to hide the theft, Lopez manipulated the billing cycles on at least 53 insurance policies by changing the due dates in order to extend the policy. She also changed the policy billing address to either her residence or office so she could receive the billing statements instead of her clients.

Lopez’s insurance license expired in September 2009. Consumers can check the license status of their agent or broker or contact the Department of Insurance at 800-927-4357 if they suspect they are victims of insurance fraud.

Lopez was arraigned on January 27, 2021, in the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse. She is scheduled to return to court on February 18, 2021. The case is being prosecuted by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Source: CA. Dept. of Insurance