A Lenoir County couple is facing several felony charges, including arson and insurance fraud, after they were arrested earlier this month. Monteze Rodriguez Nelson, 44, and Jalesia Madrid Nelson, 33, both residents of Kinston, stand accused of deliberately setting fire to their home and subsequently defrauding their insurance company, as announced by North Carolina's Insurance Commissioner.
According to information gathered by the Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division, detailed in a North Carolina's Insurance Commissioner press release, the Nelsons allegedly burned down their property located at 483 Back St., and falsified claims to American Modern Property and Casualty, stating the cause of the fire was unknown to them. The couple's scheme seemingly paid off when they banked a check worth $57,638.38 to compensate for the loss.
The fire in question was reported to have taken place on August 8, 2024, and has since led to the couple's arrest on January 6. Upon their apprehension by the Kinston Police Department, both were processed, fingerprinted, and released after posting a $100,000 secured bond each. They were seen in Lenoir County District Court shortly after, last Wednesday.
Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey highlighted the broader implications of such crimes, stating, "Insurance fraud hits consumers in the wallet," as recounted by the Department's press release. He further elucidated, "Approximately 20 cents of every insurance premium dollar go to covering the cost of fraud." Causey remains committed to confronting and prosecuting insurance fraud in the state, a battle that is waged in the name of protecting consumers’ finances.
The state's insurance department is encouraging the public to come forward with any suspicions of insurance fraud or related white-collar crimes. Sources close to the department said that tips can be reported anonymously by calling the N.C. Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840, or toll-free at 888-680-7684 from anywhere in North Carolina.
