Former California Insurance Agent Sentenced for Stealing $220K from Clients Including Late Art Dealer
John Philip Ryan, 64, of Yucca Valley, California, was sentenced and ordered to pay more than $220,000 in restitution to victims after pleading guilty to two felony counts of financial elder abuse and grand theft of insurance premiums. An investigation …
Workers’ Compensation Panel Reverses Claim Denial for Man With Two Names
A Virginia man who was denied workers’ compensation benefits for his workplace injury because he apparently used two different names is entitled to have his name on the record corrected and his claim reconsidered, the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission (WCC) …
Davies Insurance Tech Group Names Morrissey COO
Nashville-based Davies Group, a rapidly growing professional services and technology firm serving the insurance industry, has named Jen Morrissey group chief operations officer. Morrissey was previously chief information officer with Unison Risk Advisors and was with Willis Towers Watson before …
AM Best: Current D&O Market Rates Could Prove Inadequate
Buyers of directors and officers liability may be getting a break from steep rate and price increases seen over the last several years, but insurance industry rating agency AM Best said it remains to seen how long the reprieve can …
Risk Strategies Acquires Combined Underwriters of Miami
Risk Strategies, a specialty insurance brokerage with national reach, has acquired Combined Underwriters of Miami, an independent agency that offers commercial and personal insurance and benefits products in south Florida. Combined Underwriters has been around for 30 years, specializing in …
BP Unit to Pay Record $40M to Settle Air Pollution Civil Charges
A subsidiary of BP will pay a record-setting $40 million penalty to settle civil U.S. charges that its Indiana-based oil refinery violated federal laws aimed at curbing emissions of cancer-causing benzene in wastewater and other harmful pollutants, the U.S. Justice …
Crypto Should Be Regulated as Gambling, UK Lawmakers Say
Bitcoin, ether and other cryptocurrencies should be regulated as gambling given the significant risks they pose to consumers, a panel of UK lawmakers said in a report on Wednesday. Britain, which wants to become a global hub for crypto and …
Stellantis Tells UK to Change Brexit Deal or See Car Plants Close
British car plants will close with the loss of thousands of jobs unless the Brexit deal is swiftly renegotiated, Stellantis has warned, as Ford added its voice to the latest warning from the auto industry since Britain left the European …
New Hampshire Governor Sununu Urges State-Run Marijuana Shops
A day after New Hampshire legislators rejected the latest attempt to legalize recreational marijuana in the state, Gov. Chris Sununu – a potential Republican presidential candidate – proposed a path forward that is similar to how the state controls liquor …
Delaware Supreme Court Rules Franchise Law Does Not Ban Tesla Dealership
Delaware’s Supreme Court on Monday overturned a judge’s ruling upholding a decision by state officials to prohibit electric vehicle maker Tesla from selling its cars directly to customers. In a ruling last year, a Superior Court judge determined that Delaware’s …
Rudy Giuliani Denies Woman’s Claims of $2 Million in Unpaid Wages, Forced Sexual Acts
A woman who says she worked as an off-the-books employee for Rudy Giuliani during his stint as Donald Trump’s personal lawyer alleges in court papers that the former New York City mayor coerced her into sex and owes her nearly …
Mississippi Doctor Suspended and Charged with Sexual Battery
A Mississippi doctor has been arrested and had his medical license suspended over allegations that he fondled teenage patients. Dr. Mehul Dixit, 59, was charged with two counts of sexual battery in Hinds County, where sheriff’s deputies arrested him last …
Tenn. Governor Signs Off on Additional Legal Shield for Gun and Ammo Dealers, Makers
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has signed off on additional protections for gun and ammunition dealers, manufacturers and sellers against lawsuits within a bill that lawmakers passed after a deadly school shooting in March. The Republican governor quietly signed the legislation …
Families Affected by Michigan School Shooting Win Key Decision in Lawsuit
A group of families won a key court victory in an effort to pin some responsibility on a Michigan school district for a shooting that left four students dead and seven others wounded in 2021. The families can pursue claims …
Alleged Russian Hacker Charged in $200 Million Ransomware Spree
A Russian man was charged by US authorities in connection with his alleged role with multiple ransomware gangs that attacked hospitals, schools and police departments. Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev, who was known online as Wazawaka, was an active member of three …
Hackers Contacted Cybersecurity Firm CEO’s Son, Wife in Extortion Attempt
Hackers stole contracts from cybersecurity firm Dragos Inc. as part of an extortion attempt that included contacting the chief executive officer’s wife and 5-year-old son, according to a company blog post, documents provided by the suspected hackers and interviews. The …
Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Survivors of Buffalo Massacre
A wrongful death suit has been filed on behalf of survivors and others affected by the 2022 racially-motivated shooting at Tops Friendly Markets in Buffalo where 10 people were killed, all of them Black, and three people were injured. The …
People Moves: Hamilton Appoints Brown as Chair of Board of Directors; Canopius Taps Hartley From AXIS to Lead New Aviation Reinsurance Business
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Hamilton and Canopius Group. A summary of these new hires follows here. Hamilton Appoints Brown as Chair of Board of Directors Hamilton Insurance Group Ltd. announced that David A. Brown, a …
Acrisure Acquires Portuguese Broker Universalis
Acrisure, the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based insurance broker and fintech specialist, announced it has signed an agreement to acquire one of Portugal’s leading insurance brokers, Universalis (trademark of Corpos – Corretora de Seguros, Lda). The transaction is under review by the …
Survey: Texas Employer Participation in Workers’ Comp System up to 75%
A survey from the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation’s Research and Evaluation Group found that employer subscription in workers’ comp increased to 75% in 2022, up from 72% in 2018. Texas allows employers to decide whether or …