Five defendants charged in multi-million-dollar life insurance fraud case
News: 2025 Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The California Department of Insurance announced today that five individuals, including former insurance agents, have been charged in a large-scale insurance fraud scheme involving misrepresented life insurance policies that resulted in fraudulent commissions totaling over $1.4 million.
Daniel Jon Carpenter, 62, of Morgan Hill, was arraigned on felony charges of insurance fraud, grand theft, and identity theft. Carpenter, a former insurance agent, allegedly orchestrated the fraudulent scheme alongside four co-defendants.
- Natorae Marie Wettstein, 56, of Rancho Mirage, was arraigned on felony charges of insurance fraud and grand theft.
- Blake John Carpenter, 27, of San Jose, was arraigned on felony charges of insurance fraud and grand theft.
- Noah Maxwell Kuh, 26, of San Jose, was arraigned on a felony charge of insurance fraud.
- Alejandro Carlos, 25, of Gilroy, remains a fugitive at large and is wanted on felony charges of insurance fraud and grand theft.
The Department of Insurance launched its investigation after receiving a complaint from a consumer alleging forgery and insurance fraud linked to life insurance policies sold by Daniel Carpenter. The investigation revealed that Carpenter, in conjunction with Wettstein, Blake Carpenter, Carlos, and Kuh, misrepresented life insurance policy terms to California consumers while falsifying agent information on policy applications submitted to multiple insurance companies. This deceptive scheme allowed them to collect unearned commissions from four insurance carriers between 2017 and 2023.
In total, the defendants fraudulently obtained over $1.4 million in commissions by manipulating over $2 million in insurance premiums from 28 California consumers. The California Department of Insurance has successfully assisted in recovering over $2 million for the affected victims.
Carpenter, Wettstein, Blake Carpenter, and Kuh are scheduled to return to court on April 25, 2025. Anyone with information on Carlos’ whereabouts is asked to contact the Department at 707-751-2000. The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.
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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.
