News: 2009 Press Release

Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner today announced that Bladimir Rivera, 38, of Los Angeles, was convicted on one felony count of impersonation of another person's official capacity. He was sentenced to three years summary probation, ordered to perform 350 hours of community service, and pay $3,785 in fines, penalties and restitution.

"Impersonating an insurance agent and forging policy documents to cheat the system will not pay off for any scam artists," said Commissioner Poizner. "CDI investigators are on the lookout for anyone attempting to cheat the law. And when we find you, we will bring you to justice." 

A CDI investigation revealed that between January 2006 and February 2008, Rivera, a salesperson at HBR Truck Sales in Wilmington, created and issued bogus commercial truck insurance certificates. The investigation revealed that Rivera used information from legitimate insurance certificates such as policy numbers and the name and license number of an insurance agent who was not involved in the transaction. Rivera placed this information on bogus certificates. 

Rivera later admitted to investigators that the purpose of creating the certificates was to prove to the finance company that the trucks purchased from HBR Truck Sales were properly insured, which allowed the buyers to secure financing for the vehicles. This resulted in successful sales transactions for HBR Truck Sales. 

The scheme was discovered by an agent whose identity was stolen. The agent was contacted by a finance company to verify information on the insurance certificate, which bore his name. He stated that he had not issued the certificate and filed a complaint with the Department of Insurance. Rivera is not licensed by CDI to transact insurance.

The Los Angeles City Attorney's Office prosecuted this case. 

Commissioner Poizner oversees sixteen CDI Enforcement Branch regional offices throughout the state. Close to 1900 insurance fraud-related arrests have been made by the Department of Insurance's Enforcement Branch since Commissioner Poizner took office in 2007 - more arrests than have been made during any other two-year period, under any previous insurance commissioner.