An attorney was released on $20,000 bond today after a Texas Department of Insurance investigation found evidence of organized criminal activity, legal misconduct, and insurance fraud related to hail claims.
A Tarrant County grand jury on Monday issued a 16-count indictment for R. Kent Livesay, an attorney with offices in McAllen and Arlington. If convicted, he faces between 15 and 99 years in prison.
The charges stem from a TDI investigation that found multiple cases where Livesay filed lawsuits from 2014 to 2016 against insurance companies over roof claims after hail storms without the homeowners’ knowledge or consent.
The case was presented to the grand jury by Tarrant County Special Assistant Criminal District Attorney Doug Wallace, who is one of six prosecutors paid by TDI who work in district attorneys’ offices across the state to fight insurance fraud.
“You had homeowners learning they were parties to a lawsuit brought by an attorney they had never heard of,” said TDI Fraud Director Chris Davis. “When insurance fraud occurs, we’re all victims because it leads to higher rates for consumers.”
TDI investigators are certified peace officers and work closely with law enforcement authorities around the state when investigating fraud cases. You can report suspected cases of insurance fraud by calling TDI’s Consumer Help Line at 1-800-252-3439 or by visiting http://www.tdi.texas.gov/fraud/.