Arleta insurance agent guilty after stealing insurance payments from 26 consumers
News: 2021 Press Release
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Licensed insurance agent Angie Sosa, 33, of Arleta, pleaded no contest yesterday in Los Angeles Superior Court on one count of grand theft for stealing over $8,000 in auto insurance payments from 26 clients.
An investigation by the Department of Insurance revealed that between May 2018 and July 2018, Sosa, a licensed insurance agent doing business as Sosa Insurance Services in Panorama City, was stealing cash payments from her clients and keeping funds for her personal use. Sosa occasionally provided clients with a receipt for the payments, but did not deposit the cash into a trust bank account for payment to the insurance company. Sosa stole $8,171 in mostly cash payments from 26 clients.
The Department will be taking appropriate administrative action against Sosa’s license and the business she managed.
This case is being prosecuted by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office. Sosa is currently in Argentina, her attorney appeared on her behalf.
As a part of Sosa’s plea, she will be sentenced to 12 months’ probation, ordered to pay $8,172 to the insurance company and to serve 10 days of community labor or 100 hours of community service at an internationally recognized organization. She will also be ordered to not work or seek employment in the insurance field. Sosa is scheduled to return to court on January 30, 2022.
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Led by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, the California Department of Insurance is the consumer protection agency for the nation's largest insurance marketplace and safeguards all of the state’s consumers by fairly regulating the insurance industry. Under the Commissioner’s direction, the Department uses its authority to protect Californians from insurance rates that are excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory, oversee insurer solvency to pay claims, set standards for agents and broker licensing, perform market conduct reviews of insurance companies, resolve consumer complaints, and investigate and prosecute insurance fraud. Consumers are urged to call 1-800-927-4357 with any questions or contact us at www.insurance.ca.gov via webform or online chat. Non-media inquiries should be directed to the Consumer Hotline at 800-927-4357. Teletypewriter (TTY), please dial 800-482-4833.
