FORMER MINORITY OWNER OF TOWSON-BASED INSURANCE COMPANY CHARGED WITH INSURANCE FRAUD AND THEFT

Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today the filing of felony insurance fraud and felony theft charges against Michelle Lyons Baker, former secretary and minority owner of Towson based National Insurance Services. In a three-count criminal information filed in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County, Baker was charged with committing felony insurance fraud and stealing approximately $543,000 from various premium finance companies from January 2000 through December 2000.

Earlier this month, Alfred Murray Slattery, president and majority owner of National Insurance Services, was charged in a seven-count criminal information with committing insurance fraud and stealing over $1,574,000 from several premium finance companies.

The indictment follows a joint investigation conducted by the Office of the Attorney General, the Insurance Fraud Division of the Maryland Insurance Administration and the Maryland State Police. If convicted of felony theft or insurance fraud, Baker could be sentenced to serve up to 15 years in prison on each count.

A criminal information is merely an accusation of wrongdoing, and every individual is presumed innocent until the charges are proven by the State. No trial date has been set.

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