In what North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey is calling an all too common scheme, a Mecklenburg County woman was arrested and charged with insurance fraud after allegedly using false claims to profit off her rental insurance policy. Shantale Pierre Chery, 54, purportedly took photos from the internet and used them to falsely claim damage from an apartment roof leak. This led to her receiving an unauthorized payout of $2,430 from United Services Automobile Association, as per the charges filed against her by the Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division.
The investigation into Chery's activities appears to have been quite thorough, revealing what the Department of Insurance considers to be a clear-cut case of fraud. According to arrest warrants cited by the North Carolina Department of Insurance, the alleged offense occurred on December 1, 2024. Following her arrest on March 20 by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police, Chery was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond and made her court appearance on March 21, 2025, in Mecklenburg County District Court.
Insurance fraud is an issue that State officials like Commissioner Causey are emphatic to remind carries consequences for all policyholders, stating, “Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime.” He pointed out how such crimes "hits all of us in the pocket through higher premiums." These comments carry the caution that fraudulent acts don't merely affect the immediate parties involved but can, indeed, ripple out to have wider financial impacts on the community at large, as per North Carolina Department of Insurance.
Residents of North Carolina are being urged to actively help keep insurance costs down by remaining vigilant and reporting any suspected fraudulent activity. The N.C. Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division offers several means to report, including an anonymous toll-free hotline. Commissioner Causey has directly appealed to residents, encouraging them to be part of the effort in maintaining fair insurance premium levels across the state. "It hits all of us in the pocket through higher premiums," he's quoted as saying, making the case for collective vigilance against fraud.
