Man pleads guilty to fraud try in concealing accident

Karen Zekan

Wednesday, May 20, 1998 | 10:17 a.m.

A Las Vegas man pled guilty to a single count of attempted insurance fraud for buying an insurance policy as protection two hours after having an auto accident that injured a passenger on Lee Canyon Road in Mount Charleston.

Bernard G. Johnson, 43, was accused of concealing the noon-time accident Jan. 25 when he purchased a policy at 2:45 p.m. from Nevada General Insurance Company.

Johnson then provided the insurance information to an investigating officer, implying the policy was in effect at the time he reported being rear-ended, sliding on ice and then rear-ending another vehicle.

The insurance company questioned the claim, denied payment, and turned the case over to the Nevada attorney general's insurance fraud unit and the National Insurance Crime Bureau for investigation.

Authorities said Johnson maintained that the insurance company was in error until he was confronted by an investigator from the attorney general's office. Johnson eventually confessed to the fraud in a hand-written letter.

"Since October, the insurance fraud unit has arrested 24, and convicted 15, individuals for crimes concerning insurance fraud," Del Papa said. Insuarnce fraud will not be tolerated in Nevada."

Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 17. As part of the plea agreement, Johnson will pay the attorney general's insurance fraud unit to help reimburse the cost of the investigation.