Sylva man charged with multiple counts of insurance fraud and false pretense

A Sylva resident, Noah Zachary Daniel Saunier, has been arrested on charges of insurance fraud and attempting to obtain property by false pretense. North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced the arrest, which involves three counts of each felony charge. The allegations concern claims filed with three insurance companies about Saunier's 2022 Audi, valued at $161,000.

The Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division alleges that Saunier falsely reported a crash to GEICO Insurance Co. on March 29, just hours after an insurance policy was issued to his mother. This claim reportedly resembled another he filed with Progressive Corp. on April 1, claiming a crash occurred on January 26. However, special agents found the vehicle was with Audi of Asheville from January 17 to February 5.

Additionally, Saunier is accused of misleading Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., claiming his car went missing after being left due to a flat tire. He later reported finding the vehicle in Asheville but did not provide further details.

Saunier was taken into custody on September 24 and released on a $30,000 unsecured bond. Commissioner Causey emphasized the impact of insurance fraud on premiums: "Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime," he said. "It hits all of us in the pocket through higher premiums."

Residents are urged to report suspicious activities related to insurance fraud by contacting the N.C. Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840 or toll-free at 888-680-7684. More information can be found at www.ncdoi.gov.

Information from this article can be found here.