Former insurance agent gets six-plus years in prison for fraud

A former insurance agent charged with writing fraudulent policies in Mobile and Baldwin counties was sentenced to 78 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $121,000 in restitution Jan. 6, according to a news release from the office of U.S. Attorney Richard Moore. Thomas Edward Burns, the owner of Tommy Burns Agency, LLC, pleaded guilty in August to wire fraud, admitting he collected insurance premiums from customers, but failed to pass the payments along to carriers. In “many” instances, the carriers canceled the policies for nonpayment and left individuals and their properties uninsured.

At the sentencing hearing, a Special Agent from the Federal Bureau of Investigation testified that at least 51 victims had been identified. Five victims appeared at the sentencing hearing to testify about the impact of having their premiums stolen and their properties left uninsured. As part of the plea agreement entered into by Burns, the United States also required Burns to immediately surrender all professional licenses, including but not limited to all insurance and brokerage license(s), and to not seek reinstatement of those licenses.