Authorities in North Carolina have arrested eight residents andare in pursuit of two others allegedly involved in the execution ofa string of staged auto accidents. Investigators believe theaccused defrauded insurers such as Nationwide Mutual, State FarmMutual, and others out of more than $40,000 before beingapprehended.

Since announcing the arrests, North Carolina InsuranceCommissioner Wayne Goodwin and the Department of Insurance haverequested assistance from the public in locating the additionalsuspects: Tammy Haney, 31, for one count of insurance fraud, onecount of obtaining property by false pretense, and one felony countof conspiracy; and Jocelin Anissa McAllister, 32, who iswanted for one count of felony conspiracy.

The remaining defendents, including Zakia Katrell Bobbitt,30; Shaquana Jashel Burrough, 20; Tikara Denise Bynum,23; Josalyn Jenice Cotten, 30; Teresa Celeste Mullen,35; Lopez Dovol Mullen, 33; Catina Lashawn Williams, 38;and Robert Levelle Williams, 33, face a combination of thosesame charges.

Department of Insurance criminal investigators allege thatbetween January and November 2010, the suspects were operating astaged auto accident ring and were submitting false insuranceclaims to Nationwide Mutual, State Farm Mutual, ProgressiveUniversal, and Liberty Mutual insurance companies. They gather thatthe suspects have received a total of $43,970 thus far, noting thatan additional claim for an estimated $51,384 was denied.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) assisted the NorthCarolina Department of Insurance with the investigation of thealleged staged accident operation, and the Raleigh Police FugitiveTask Force assisted in the apprehension and arrest of thesuspects.

For more information about the secured bond amounts and specificcharges for each of the apprehended suspects, visit the NCDOI website.

Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of Haney and/orMcAllister is encouraged to contact the Raleigh Police Departmentat 919-996-3335 or the North Carolina Department of InsuranceCriminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840.