Des Moines, Iowa- A man from eastern Iowa is facing a felony charge of insurance fraud. The Iowa Insurance Division reports 36-year-old Frank Paul Tarasi, of Hiawatha ,was charged with one count of Fraudulent Submissions (a Class D Felony), following an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Divisions Fraud Bureau.

The charge against Tarasi stems from an investigation which began in May of 2022.  According to a criminal complaint filed by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau, while Tarasi was working as an insurance producer, he altered documents and submitted them in support of a life insurance policy knowing that they misrepresented material facts. Tarasi was seen for an initial appearance on September 2, 2022, and released on his own recognizance.

Frank Tarasi

And, a Davenport man, 42-year-old Jared Simmons, pled guilty on September 1, 2022, to one count Presenting False Information, a class “D” Felony, following an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau. The investigation began in January 2021 after the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau received information indicating Simmons had provided false information to an insurer following an automobile accident in Scott County.

The investigation determined Simmons had made false representations regarding the nature of the loss in an effort to secure benefits of the policy. Simmons claimed that his vehicle sustained damage after hitting a deer when, in fact, the damage was sustained when Simmons was involved in a single-car accident while he was intoxicated. Simmons was arrested on February 3, 2022. Following his guilty plea, Simmons received a five year suspended prison sentence and placed on supervised probation for a period of two years. Simmons was also ordered to pay a fine of $1,025.

Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Divisions Fraud Bureau at 515-654-6556.

Note: A criminal charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.