12 charged in insurance schemes in Wake, Durham counties

North Carolina Department of Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin announced the arrests Tuesday. Investigators were alerted to the fraud by insurance companies that suspected the claims were false.

In the case of the Durham family, investigators said five relatives conspired over a 10-year period to commit insurance fraud.

Arrested were: Jaime Farrah Boxley, 36, of 305 Avon Lake Drive; Christa Sharif Smith, 27, of 812 Shari Court; Christa Shari Smith, 27, of 340 Avon Lake Drive; Deanna Liles Smith, 52, of 812 Shari Court; and Lashaunnette Mary Smith, 32, of 4001 Meriwether Drive.

They were each charged with one count of attempting to obtain property by false pretense.

The suspects in Wake County are accused of staging three auto accidents between May and June 2012, and submitting false claims to Allstate, Nationwide, Travelers, Progressive and North Carolina Farm Bureau insurance companies. The companies paid out more than $84,000 for medical claims, investigators said.

Arrested were:

Iwaun Harper, 39, of 105 Canal St., Conetoe, charged with two counts of obtaining property by false pretense, one count of attempting to obtain property by false pretense, two counts of insurance fraud and three counts of conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense.

Morgan Hollins, 23, of 4536 Dilford Drive, Raleigh, charged with insurance fraud, obtaining property by false pretense and conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense.

Adante Howell, 23, of 1705 Brown Owl Drive, Raleigh, charged with attempting to obtain property by false pretense and conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense.

Roger Trevon Howell, 22, of 1705 Brown Owl Drive, Raleigh, charged with attempting to obtain property by false pretense and conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense. Howell is being held on a $10,000 unsecured bond.

Sedrick Jones, 21, of 4629 S. Halifax Road, Rocky Mount, charged with two counts of obtaining property by false pretense, two counts of insurance fraud and two counts of conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense.

Erica Merritt, 21, of 804 S. Brooklyn Blvd., Nashville, N.C., charged with three counts of obtaining property by false pretense, one count of attempting to obtain property by false pretense, three counts of insurance fraud and four counts of conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense.

Brittany White, 23, of 4902-B Arcadian Court, Raleigh, charged with obtaining property by false pretense, insurance fraud and conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense.

Investigators said they are searching for three more suspects who have been charged in the Wake County case. They are:

Derrick Fortune, 25, of 4902 Arcadian Court, Raleigh, wanted for obtaining property by false pretense, insurance fraud and conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense.

Corey Jones, 28, of 3912 Old Coach Road, Raleigh, wanted for obtaining property by false pretense, insurance fraud and conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense.

Maurice Ricks, 31, of 120 Tony Drive, Rocky Mount, wanted for three counts of obtaining property by false pretense, one count of attempting to obtain property by false pretense, four counts of conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense and three counts of insurance fraud.