3 people sentenced in Florence County insurance fraud case
Morning News Staff Reports/Morning News
Published: April 22, 2008
Published: April 22, 2008
Three Florence County residents have been sentenced for their roles in a Florence County insurance fraud case, according to a press release from the South Carolina Insurance News Service.
Joseph Benton, 38, of 2206 Cummings Road, Effingham, pleaded guilty Monday to criminal conspiracy and presenting false claims for payment in an amount more than $5,000.
Matthew Cameron, 34, and Amanda Matthews, 27, both of 2841 Old Creek Road, Scranton, pleaded guilty to presenting false claims for payment in an amount more than $5,000.
Circuit Court Judge Michael G. Nettles sentenced Benton to five years in prison suspended upon five years probation, plus restitution of $6,000 to Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co.
Nettles sentenced Cameron and Matthews to five years in prison suspended upon three years probation and ordered both to pay $6,000 in restitution to Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co., as well.
In late August 2003, Benton approached Cameron and asked him to burn a GMC 3500 tow truck used in Benton’s towing business so that the insurance money could be used to pay off the lien on the truck. Cameron agreed to burn the truck and Benton demonstrated how to loosen the gas lines so that the truck could still run but leak fuel to start a fire.
On Aug. 29, 2003, Cameron and Matthews were using the tow truck to repossess cars. Matthews was driving and pulled the truck over so that Cameron could loosen the gas lines as instructed by Benton.
Matthews then continued driving the truck for a short distance before stopping again. Cameron and Matthews then lit a napkin with a cigarette lighter and used a stick to lower it under the truck and light the truck on fire.
Benton told Cameron and Matthews to lie about how the fire started and stated that he would “take care of them.” Cameron and Matthews initially lied to investigators about how the truck burned. Benton filed an insurance claim on the truck and Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. paid Benton $18, 940.
Cameron and Matthews later confessed to law enforcement officers they had burned the truck at Benton’s request.
The case was investigated by Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. and the State Law Enforcement Division.
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