TWO FORMER INSURANCE ADMINISTRATION EMPLOYEES CONVICTED IN LICENSING SCAM

Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today that two former Maryland Insurance Administration Agent Enforcement Officers, William E. Unkle and Joseph E. Wolfe, pleaded guilty to criminal charges in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. Unkle, of the 18000 block of Piedmont Road in Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, had been charged with unauthorized access to computers. Wolfe, of the 6800 block of Church Road in Felton, Pennsylvania, had been charged with conspiracy to gain unauthorized access to computers.

In a statement of facts presented by the prosecutor, the court learned that, in January of 2005, while both individuals were still employed by the Administration, Unkle gained unauthorized access to the M.I.A.‘s licensing system and caused the system to reflect that both Wolfe and Unkle had insurance producer licenses when in fact they did not. Subsequent to their resignations from the M.I.A., administration officials learned of their actions, revoked those licenses and referred the matter to the Office of the Attorney General.

The Honorable John P. Miller sentenced both Unkle and Wolfe to one year of incarceration and suspended that sentence in favor of one year of probation. Additionally, each defendant was fined $500.00 and was ordered to perform twenty-five hours of community service.  

#