A former insurance agent from Warner Robins, Georgia, has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for committing bank fraud as part of a scheme involving premium payments. Jeremy Lasseter, 44, of Perry, Georgia, was also ordered to pay $221,515.16 in restitution to the victim. The restitution was paid in full at sentencing.
Lasseter pleaded guilty on August 27 to one count of bank fraud. U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell handed down the sentence on November 19. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Lasseter owned an Alfa Insurance Agency group and had received Alfa’s Georgia “Insurance Agent of the Year” award for four consecutive years. Beginning in March 2020, he directed a customer to make premium payments that were not applied to her policies. Instead, Lasseter used those funds to pay premiums for other customers without the victim’s knowledge or consent.
Sometimes Lasseter instructed the victim to write checks payable directly to him or provide cash payments, claiming it would be better for tax purposes. The government maintains that he initiated this scheme in order to win another “Insurance Agent of the Year” award and receive its associated benefits.
U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes stated: “The money taken from the victim has had a significant negative impact on her life. The defendant must be held accountable for defrauding her and abusing the trust placed in him by Alfa Insurance. This is not a victimless crime; such schemes will not be tolerated in the Middle District of Georgia.”
Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, said: “Lasseter’s actions undermined the integrity of the insurance industry and his deliberate scheme to redirect premium payments for his own gain is a clear violation of the law and a betrayal of the victim’s trust. The FBI remains committed to holding individuals accountable who exploit others for personal benefit.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard.
