Howell Insurance Agent Stole $375,000 From Clients; Pleads Guilty

HOWELL, MI — A Livingston County judge sentenced a Howell insurance agent to jail for defrauding her clients of nearly $375,000, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Friday.

Alicia Holbrook-Bloink, 44, was sentenced to one year in jail and three years' probation, according to a news release. She was also ordered to pay restitution, which will be addressed during a June 10 hearing.

Holbrook-Bloink and her insurance agency, Holbrook Insurance Agency LLC, pleaded guilty to multiple felonies in December 2021. She admitted to conducting a criminal enterprise, while the corporation pleaded guilty to conducting a criminal enterprise, embezzlement, identity theft, and tax evasion.

Between 2015 and 2018, Holbrook-Bloink used her insurance agency to take money from clients who paid in full and then forged the finance agreements with premium finance companies to ensure the client had the policy issued while she used their money, officials said.

The finance contracts were regularly not paid, and insurance policies would be canceled, often without the client knowing, officials said.

She used the scheme to steal nearly $375,000 from her clients, officials said. The case was referred to the Michigan Attorney General after several people filed complaints.

"When the people we hire to protect our assets choose instead to pocket our money, there must be consequences," Nessel said. "My office remains committed to ensuring Michiganders are not taken advantage of by bad actors. I will continue to work with the Department of Insurance and Financial Services to protect our residents from dishonest practices."