Kentucky Tobacco Warehouse Manager Indicted in Crop Insurance Fraud Scheme
Prosecution of widespread crop insurance fraud in Kentucky has continued with the indictment of a tobacco warehouse manager who allegedly facilitated some of the schemes. Thomas H. Kirkpatrick, manager of Farmers Tobacco Warehouse in Danville, conspired with at least four …
Hertz Says Hackers Stole License Numbers, Credit Card Data
Hertz is alerting customers to a data breach involving drivers’ license numbers and other personal information following a hack in its supply chain. The car-rental company said in a posting on its website that it completed an analysis of the …
United Risk Launches Multi-Line Reinsurance MGA, Names Cahill as CEO
United Risk, a subsidiary of Applied Underwriters, announced it has formed a multi-line reinsurance managing general agent. Jay Cahill, previously United Risk’s chief financial officer, has been named chief executive officer of the new MGA. He will be succeeded as …
Judge Orders Bank of America to Pay $540 Million in FDIC Lawsuit
A federal judge ordered Bank of America to pay $540.3 million in a long-running Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation lawsuit accusing the second-largest U.S. bank of underpaying what it owed for deposit insurance. In a decision made public on Monday, U.S. …
Texas Lawsuit Accuses Copart of Gender Discrimination and Sexual Harassment
A lawsuit filed in Texas this month accuses online vehicle auction provider Copart of gender discrimination, retaliation and sexual harassment. Christine Arnold, a former global vice president of human resources for Copart, says she was fired in retaliation for raising …
Texas Measles Cases Increase 4% as Spread Appears to Be Slowing
Texas reported 20 new confirmed measles cases on Tuesday, a 4% increase from Friday’s data as the virus’ spread appears to be slowing in the hardest-hit US state. The state now has 561 total cases, with 58 people hospitalized since …
MarshBerry’s FirstChoice Expands to Minnesota and Arizona
MarshBerry announced that FirstChoice, a MarshBerry Company (FirstChoice), has expanded into Minnesota and Arizona. This strategic move provides independent insurance agency owners in these states with the opportunity to join FirstChoice’s thriving network and access to unparalleled resources and support. …
Hadron Acquires Michigan’s The Guarantee Company of North America
Hadron, an Arkansas-based carrier, announced its intent to acquire The Guarantee Company of North America USA (GCNA), a Michigan-domiciled insurance company, from Atlantic Specialty Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC). This acquisition marks a major milestone …
2024 Saw Second Most Tornadoes on Record in the US
New analysis indicates there were 1796 confirmed tornadoes in 2024, the second highest on record, according to NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center. The busy tornado season was driven by an active April and May in the Plains (notably quiet for much …
Central European Foot-and-Mouth Disease Leads to Animal Culls and Border Closures
Authorities in several countries in Central Europe are working to contain an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease among cattle populations that has caused widespread border closures and required the killing of thousands of animals. The outbreak was first detected on a …
Growing Fast, Going Public: Florida’s American Integrity Insurance Files for IPO
American Integrity Insurance, one of the largest property insurance carriers in Florida with more than 350,000 policies in force, is going to Wall Street with an initial public offering. The Tampa-based parent company, American Integrity Insurance Group, founded in 2006, …
Advocacy Group Files Suit Over Tariffs in US Court of International Trade
A legal advocacy group on Monday asked the U.S. Court of International Trade to block President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on foreign trading partners, arguing the president overstepped his authority. The lawsuit was filed by the nonpartisan Liberty Justice Center …
More Resilient Organizations Successfully Battled Ransomware in 2024: BakerHostetler
An annual report from law firm BakerHostetler said companies “are starting to win the battle against ransomware.” In its 11th year, the report from the firm’s Digital Assets and Data Management (DADM) Practice Group, who handled over 1,250 cyber incidents …
Europe’s Hottest Year Turbocharged Extreme Weather Across Region
Europe experienced the hottest year on record in 2024, as climate change combined with a strong El Niño to generate a series of extreme weather events and force glaciers into retreat. Half the continent reported new heat records in 2024 …
Delaware Fines Liberty Mutual $300K for Advertising Discounts Not Offered in State
After what it says was an investigation that took months, the Delaware Department of Insurance has levied a $300,000 penalty on three Liberty Mutual companies for advertising discounts that they do not offer in the state. The department said the …
China Says US Hacked Networks of 2025 Asian Winter Games
China accused a US spy agency of hacking the Asian Winter Games held this year in Harbin, and took the unusual step of identifying individuals it thinks are responsible. The US National Security Agency’s Office of Tailored Access Operations carried …
Cabot Creamery Butter Recalled Over Fecal Bacteria Contamination
A Vermont firm has recalled more than 1,700 pounds of butter because it may be contaminated with coliform, a type of bacteria found in fecal matter. Agri-Mark Inc., of Waitsfield, Vermont, recalled 189 cases of Cabot Creamery 8-ounce premium butter …
German Court to Review Seizure of Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker
A German court will weigh a request to release a seized oil tanker that is believed to be part of a so-called shadow fleet used by Russia to circumvent oil sanctions, Germany’s finance ministry said on Monday. The Panama-flagged vessel, …
Inspections of Whiskey Barrels Take Time in Flood Aftermath at Kentucky Distillery
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Signs of renewal are underway at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky since floodwaters that inundated the whiskey-making campus receded. But executives say the painstaking task of inspecting any bourbon barrels touched by the high water …
British Insurer Marshmallow Valued at $2 Billion With BlackRock Backing
British car insurance startup Marshmallow has almost doubled its valuation to more than $2 billion after a funding round that was backed by new investors BlackRock, Columbia Lake Partners and Portage. The firm, which offers insurance to under-served customers such …