BALTIMORE MAN CONVICTED OF INSURANCE FRAUD

Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr., announced today that Keith R. Millard, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty to one count of felony insurance fraud in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City on Monday. Judge Wanda Keyes Heard sentenced Millard to 18 months’ incarceration that was suspended in favor of three years of supervised probation. As conditions of his probation, Millard must make restitution to the pawn shops, have a substance abuse evaluation and successfully complete any recommended treatment.

In a statement of facts, the court learned that Millard was a licensed insurance agent and operated the KMI Insurance Agency. On October 29, 2001 Millard was given $2,447.09 by a representative of North Avenue Pawn, Inc. as a premium payment intended to renew the shop’s commercial liability insurance policy. Millard used the money for his own purposes and did not renew the insurance policy. Millard engaged in a similar course of conduct in misappropriating $460 given to him by a representative of Westside Pawn as a premium payment to renew that shop’s commercial liability policy.

"Mr. Millard simply took the money paid by these businesses for insurance and used it for his own personal gain," Attorney General Curran said. "By failing to purchase the policy renewals, Millard subjected both shops to great liability."

The conviction follows a joint investigation conducted by the Insurance Fraud Division of the Maryland Insurance Administration and the Office of the Attorney General.

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