North Carolina's battle against insurance fraud has snagged a family trio implicated in various schemes to bilk insurers out of money. The North Carolina Department of Insurance issued a statement detailing the arrest of two residents of Forsyth County and one from Guilford County on a sweep of felony charges. Annie Stafford Wagner, 77, and Falecia Vernell Wagner, 52, both of Winston-Salem, and Trayvon DeQuan Wagner, 32, of High Point, face a string of charges related to insurance fraud and related offenses.
Annie Wagner is on the hook for two felonies: insurance fraud and obtaining property by pretense. Her daughter, Falecia, has been hit with an even longer list—three counts of insurance fraud amongst other accusations. As for the grandson, Trayvon, his alleged contributions to the scheme earned him 14 felony charges, including insurance fraud and common law forgery, plus one misdemeanor count of fraud. The charges, as reported by North Carolina Department of Insurance, stem from several reported incidents from December 2023 to August 2024.
The trio reportedly laid out numerous false claims on their State Farm Insurance rental property policy, such as food spoilage, damaged electronics, and malfunctioning equipment, some deceitfully attributed to storm damage. To add to their alleged deceit, Trayvon Wagner is accused of filing several claims under assumed identities. According to the Department of Insurance, this kind of fraud doesn't just swindle insurers—it hits every consumer in the wallet. "Insurance fraud hits consumers in the wallet," said Mike Causey, North Carolina Insurance Commissioner. He emphasized the cost by noting, "approximately 20 cents of every insurance premium dollar go to covering the cost of fraud." Causey stressed his committed pursuit in prosecuting insurance fraud within the state.
The mother-daughter pair, Annie and Falecia Wagner, received their criminal summons last Friday. Trayvon was already in custody on prior charges and is being held on a $55,000 secured bond; his court appearances are slated for both Forsyth and Guilford counties in the coming weeks. They all await their day in court, where the full extent of their alleged financial chicanery will face the scrutiny of the law. In such instances, Causey urges the public to take action against fraud. "If you suspect insurance fraud or other white-collar crimes, please report it," he declared, signaling the department's intolerance for these crimes.
