Licensed bail bond business owner and employee arrested, issued c&ds,
Insurance Commissioner Donelon announces
Released: April 5, 2006
Monroe - A licensed Monroe bail bond producer has been arrested and issued a cease
and desist order for allegedly allowing an unlicensed employee to write and sign
bail bonds on behalf of the producer's business. The employee was also arrested
and charged.
Bryan Arthur Johnson, 36, was arrested by members of the State Police Insurance
Fraud Unit at the Richland Parish Detention Center and charged with 24 counts of
insurance fraud. At the same time, Department of Insurance Fraud Unit investigators
served him with a cease and desist order and a revocation of all his insurance licenses,
including the bail bond agency license of the E-Z Bail Bonds, a division of Serious
Business Investments LLC. Insurance Department records show he was the owner/manager
and only licensed producer of the bail bond agency.
Johnson's employee, Fredrick Smith, 40, was also arrested by the State Police Insurance
Fraud Unit, and charged with 24 counts of insurance fraud and served by the Department
of Insurance Fraud Unit investigators with an order to cease and desist from conducting
the business of insurance. The c&d alleges that Smith was writing and signing
bail bonds and executing powers of attorney for bail on behalf of E-Z Bail Bonds
without an insurance license.
Department of Insurance records list the business address of E-Z Bail Bonds/Serious
Business Investments LLC as 510 Pine St. #1, Monroe, and Johnson's residence address
as P.O. Box 9013, Monroe. Records also show Johnson held a Bail Bonds license from
December 2001 until today's action. Previously, he held a Credit Life/Credit Health
& Accident license from December 2003 until May 2004; a P&C Credit Accident
license from December 2003 until May 2005; and an Industrial Life, Health &
Accident license from July 1995-1996.
Commissioner Donelon urges consumers who feel uneasy about any insurance-related
transaction to call the Department of Insurance Fraud Unit at 225-342-4956 or 1-800-259-5300.
If callers dont want their names used, they can request that their involvement
be kept confidential.
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