Released: October 31, 2006

Baton Rouge - A Rayville insurance agent was shut down on charges of fraud and misappropriation of funds, Commissioner of Insurance Jim Donelon announced today.

Tracy E. Antley, age 44, was ordered to cease and desist from engaging in the business of insurance and her insurance license was suspended today by members of the Department of Insurance Fraud Section. The c&d and summary suspension were served in conjunction with an arrest by the State Police Fraud Unit at the Madison Parish Sheriff’s Office in Tallulah. She was charged with five counts of forgery and two counts of insurance fraud.

A joint investigation by the Department of Insurance and the State Police Fraud Unit found that Antley allegedly forged the signatures of five policyholders on insurance refund checks totaling more than $3,000 and pocketed the money for her own personal use. The alleged transactions took place from October 2004 through May 2005.

Department of Insurance records show that Antley held a license to sell Property and Casualty insurance from January 2000 until it expired in May of this year. She also held a license to sell Life and Health insurance from March 1997 until today’s action stopped her from conducting any kind of insurance business.

Commissioner Donelon urges consumers who feel uneasy about any insurance-related transactions with an agent or a company to call the Department of Insurance Fraud Section at 225-342-4956 or 1-800-259-5300. If callers don’t want their names used, they can request that their involvement be kept confidential.

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