Columbia man sentenced in $1.2 million federal fraud case
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Columbia man who ran a scheme to defraud insurance companies through staged accidents and fraudulently applied for COVID-19 relief funds was sentenced Monday in federal court, according to a press release from the Department of Justice.
Lawrence Courtney Lawhorn, 37, was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison without parole and was ordered to pay $187,109.75 in restitution, the release says.
The release says that he allegedly began staging vehicle accidents in Mid-Missouri in 2017 and “recruited other people” to participate.
“Lawhorn and the participants would go to various hospitals complaining of fake injuries thereby increasing the medical billing. As a result, the cost of a potential settlement with the insurance companies would increase. During one staged accident, Lawhorn spoke to the insurance company while pretending to be a person with settlement authority,” the release says.
The 10 accidents totaled a $1.2 million loss from 2017-20, the release says. He allegedly pocketed $105,721.17.
He also allegedly submitted applications for Economic Disaster Relief small business loans during the COVID-19 pandemic and fraudulently obtained $30,000, the release says.
