Accused in Hurricane Michael fraud
Steven Eric Chastain (from Georgia Department of Insurance)
The owner of Nationwide Public Adjusters based in Atlanta has been arrested for stealing $217,000 in insurance money from an Albany, Georgia business that was first walloped by Hurricane Michael. Steven Eric Chastain of Canton, Georgia was charged with two counts of theft by conversion. He was hired to handle the insurance claim, but is accused of taking multiple checks from the insurance company and never sending them to the client.
“The role of public adjusters is to look out for their client’s best interests in the filing and handling of a claim, not to line their own pockets,” said Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King. “This man is accused of taking complete advantage of his client in a time when they desperately needed someone to rely on. These types of acts will not be tolerated in this state,” King said in a news release.
The Nationwide Public Adjusters’ website says “We have over 100 years of combined construction/engineering, insurance adjusting, and water mitigation experience,” and lists locations in Georgia, Texas, Colorado, and Arizona.
A theft by conversion charge is a felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison per count. Many of you know we work with the public adjuster association who does all it can to police the profession. We will continue to help pursue those who take advantage of consumers.
LMA Newsletter of 3-30-20
