New Hanover County man charged with insurance fraud, six other charges in multi-agency investigation

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced today the arrest of David Arthur Barnes, 60, of 243 Brightwood Road, Wilmington, N.C. Barnes was charged with insurance fraud, two counts of notary fraud, one count of common law forgery, one count of common law uttering, one count of obtaining property by false pretense and one count of attempting to obtain property by false pretense. All counts are felonies.

Special agents with the North Carolina Department of Insurance's Criminal Investigations Division worked in conjunction with the Wilmington Police Department, the N.C. Secretary of State's Criminal Investigations Division and the N.C. Department of License and Theft to make the arrest.

According to investigators Barnes claimed an engagement ring valued at $59,675 and a college class ring valued at $4,000 was stolen from his home by Airbnb guests. Auto-Owners Insurance paid him the $59,675 amount he claimed a few weeks later. Agents allege that Barnes knew that his ex-fiancé had possession of the engagement ring in another state throughout this false claim.

Agents said Barnes then began dating a different woman who is a public notary. Barnes utilized her notary stamp and forged her signature on a sworn statement of loss form required by Auto-Owners Insurance.

According to the arrest warrant, the offenses occurred on Nov. 7 and Nov. 16, 2023.

Barnes was arrested at the New Hanover County Courthouse on Sept. 13 and released on a $10,000 unsecured bond. He appeared in New Hanover County District Court on Sept. 16.

"I am grateful to our CID agents and the other law enforcement agencies involved in this complex case," Commissioner Causey said. "Approximately 20 cents of every insurance premium dollar goes to covering the cost of fraud. I'm fighting this by aggressively pursuing and prosecuting insurance fraud in North Carolina."

If you suspect insurance fraud or other white-collar crimes, please report it. You may anonymously report fraud by calling the N.C. Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840 or toll free from anywhere in North Carolina at 888-680-7684.

Related Topics:

• Fraud Control/Investigations

  Investigations Press Release