KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City, Missouri man has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a $1.1 million insurance fraud conspiracy that involved false claims of injuries suffered in car accidents.
Lawrence Courtney Lawhorn, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Lawhorn was among 17 people who have pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme that defrauded six insurance companies from June 2017 to July 2020.
According to a press release, the scheme would involve submitting false claims that they had suffered bodily injuries and that they would be personally liable for any medical bills related to insurance claims. The conspirators, some of whom were involved in multiple incidents, received thousands of dollars, and in some cases tens of thousands of dollars, based on the false claims.
Lawhorn received separate payments worth up to nearly $19,000 from insurance companies in two false incidents in which he assumed the identity of parties to the incidents or people related to parties to these incidents in communication with insurance companies.
Lawhorn also pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining three $10,000 COVID-19 economic relief loans for non-existent businesses in his name and in the names of two other individuals as part of a fraud conspiracy.
Lawhorn is facing a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole on each of the three conspiracy charges, plus a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years for aggravated identity theft.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date after the United States Probation Office completes their investigation.
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