Attorney General Alan Wilson Announces Insurance Fraud Guilty Plea

(SUMTER, S.C.) - May 18, 2018 - South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announces the guilty plea and sentencing of a Sumter County man who defrauded Geico out of over $10,000. On May 16, 2018, Shyquan Marquez Soloman, 20, pleaded guilty to Presenting a False Claim for Payment Over $10,000.  Under the Youthful Offender Act, Judge D. Craig Brown gave him a sentence not to exceed 6 years.  This sentence was suspended to 5 years of probation.  A special condition of probation is for Mr. Soloman to pay $10,166.45 in restitution.  Probation may terminate upon payment in full of all fines, fees, costs, and assessments.  Jack Barnes of the Sumter County Public Defender’s Office represented Soloman.

“Staged car accidents and insurance fraud are serious problems in South Carolina and we’ll continue to go after anyone who commits those crimes” Attorney General Wilson said. “The staged accidents can put innocent people in danger and the fraud raises insurance rates for everyone.”

Law Enforcement responded to a car accident at the corner of Bagnal Drive and Oswego Highway in Sumter County.  At the scene an acquaintance and co-defendant of Soloman gave the police all the personal information of Mr. Soloman; however, Shyquan Soloman was never in the car involved in the accident.  The acquaintance went to the hospital and pretended to be Soloman.  He then proceeded to submit a falsified medical bill for Mr. Soloman, and Geico paid out a check in the amount of $10,166.45 for the injuries purportedly suffered by Shyquan Soloman.

SLED was called in to assist the investigation of these fictitious medical bills cases.  The agent interviewed Mr. Soloman who ended up admitting to giving his co-defendant his personal information so that it could be used in the accident, which was admittedly staged.  Soloman also admitted to cashing the check the insurance company sent.

Assistant Attorney General LaRone Washington prosecuted the case.  The case was investigated by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.