A North Carolina collision repair shop owner has been charged with felony fraud after allegedly accepting an insurance payment for vehicle repairs he did not perform, state officials announced.
Timothy Scott Gilbert, 60, of Statesville, was arrested Jan. 27 following an investigation by the North Carolina Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division. Authorities allege Gilbert received a $7,514.23 insurance check from a customer for vehicle repairs but failed to complete the work as agreed. Records indicate he later returned only $266.48 of the total funds received.
The incident reportedly took place Dec. 11, 2023, and resulted in Gilbert being charged with obtaining property by false pretense, a felony under North Carolina law. Following his arrest, Gilbert was released on a $2,500 unsecured bond and appeared in Iredell County District Court on Jan. 28.
“Insurance-related crimes hit consumers in the wallet,” said North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey. “Approximately 20 cents of every insurance premium dollar go to covering the cost of fraud. I’m fighting this by aggressively pursuing and prosecuting insurance fraud and other related crimes in North Carolina.”
Officials are urging residents to report suspected insurance fraud to the North Carolina Department of Insurance. Reports can be made anonymously by calling the department’s Criminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840 or toll-free at 888-680-7684. Additional information is available at www.ncdoi.gov.
