CHARLOTTE — Antonio Lorenzo Covington, general manager of Tow Godz LLC, was arrested July 21 on felony charges of insurance fraud and obtaining property by false pretense. North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced the charges against Covington, 32, who is accused of submitting a $4,250 fraudulent towing invoice to Peak Property and Casualty Insurance Corp.
Special agents with the Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division accuse Covington of including a $500 “clean up” fee and a $750 “special equipment” fee in the invoice. According to the arrest warrant, surveillance videos and witness statements indicated that no clean up or special equipment was used during the vehicle recovery.
Covington was placed under a $20,000 secured bond.
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey encourages residents to help keep insurance premiums low by reporting suspicious fraud.
“Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime,” Causey said. “It hits all of us in the pocket through higher premiums.”
The N.C. Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division accepts anonymous reports at 919-807-6840 or toll-free at 888-680-7684.
Covington is scheduled to appear in Mecklenburg County District Court on Aug. 11.