By making fictitious vehicle insurance claims and keeping the money for herself, a former insurance claims adjuster has admitted to stealing more than a quarter of a million dollars from her employer.
Travelers Insurance investigators learned that Colette Palin, 63, of Aurora, paid 64 false claims to herself, 55-year-old Aurora resident Shawn Brassfield, and 47-year-old Malee Lor, a former Commerce City and Henderson resident.
The Colorado Attorney General’s Office, which filed felony theft charges against all three of them last year, claims that Lor is a former member of the Thornton Police Department.
Palin collected $268,530 in total as a result of the false claims between 2018 and 2020. A company-wide inquiry raised red flags for multiple of the claims. State prosecutors said that she acknowledged the fraud to the company’s investigators.
“Palin told investigators she committed fraud to assist with her sister’s medical bills, and later her own gambling debts,” the state AG’s office stated.
Prosecutors claim that in 2020, Brassfield got two cheques from Palin totaling $23,344. Lor was paid $31,495 in total. Brassfield received a sentence on Tuesday that included 80 hours of community service and eight years of probation. The Arapahoe County District Court judge overseeing the case additionally mandated that he reimburse the $23,344 in full.
In May, Lor received a sentence that included 120 hours of community service and ten years of probation. She will make reparation equivalent to the amount taken, just like Brassfield did. But as of right now, Lor is incarcerated in the Florida Department of Corrections.
Palin, on the other hand, entered a guilty plea last month and will be sentenced on August 19.
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“We all end up footing the bill when people engage in insurance fraud,” Attorney General Phil Weiser stated. “Our department is committed to holding accountable those who engage in fraud. This case sends a clear message to fraudsters—if you think you can get away with fraud, think again.”
Residents of Colorado are urged to report any fraud or scam, including insurance fraud, to the attorney general by visiting StopFraudColorado.gov.
