Miami Man Charged with Selling Fake Policies to South Florida Car Buyers, Drivers

A Miami man posing as an insurance agent reportedly swindled at least eight people out of $29,000 by selling them fake auto insurance policies. That man, William Diehl, was arrested recently and charged with fraud and theft, Florida’s chief financial officer said Monday.

Diehl was noticed at Douglas Auto Sales in Miami late last year, approaching car buyers and offering to secure insurance on their automobiles, CFO Jimmy Patronis said. When one of the victims was involved in an accident, he discovered that the insurance coverage was bogus. The dealership alerted the Florida Department of Financial Services’ investigative division.

Investigators found that seven others had fallen prey to the fake insurance agent scam, DFS said in a news release. One victim reportedly had his driver’s license suspended for failing to carry insurance.

Diehl is 39 and lives in North Bay Village, according to a local news report.

He surrendered to police and was booked into a correctional facility in Miami. Diehl could face up to 30 years in prison, DFS statement noted.

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