Former Lake Forest Resident Behind Bars in Chicago for Allegedly Ripping Off California, Insurance Companies

A former Lake Forest resident was behind bars in Chicago today on charges of ripping off insurance companies and the state of California with an alleged workers’ compensation scheme.

Jacob Richard Bonzer, 27, was arrested Wednesday and awaits extradition, according to Deputy District Attorney Debbie Jackson.

Bonzer allegedly found a flaw in Farmers Insurance by filling out phony homeowner’s insurance applications and collecting the commission before any premium is paid, Jackson said.

With help from a Farmers Insurance agent, he filled out 128 phony applications for policies from April through July 2010, Jackson alleged. For that, he allegedly pocketed about $46,000, Jackson said.

He did it again later with another Farmers agent 791 more times and collected about $239,000, Jackson alleged.

In the alleged workers’ compensation scheme, Bonzer would sell phony coverage to businesses that would send the premiums directly to him, Jackson said. In that alleged scheme, there were 58 victims, Jackson alleged.

In all, the alleged loss so far was about $600,000, Jackson said. Investigators suspect there may be more victims, the prosecutor added.

Bonzer is charged with multiple counts of grand theft, forgery, denial of benefits and transactions without a certificate of authority.

--City News Service

PHOTO Patch file photo.