Two Lee County residents charged in workers’ comp insurance fraud case
Malinda Pedigo, Christopher Dowdy charged with insurance fraud
From Staff Reports
LEESBURG — Two Lee County residents, including the owner of a local insurance agency, were booked into the Lee County Jail this week following an insurance fraud investigation conducted by the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation’s Enforcement Division.
According to a news release from the Enforcement Division, Malinda Alison Pedigo, 44, owner of Lee Affordable Insurance Agency at 1481-C U.S. Highway 19, was arrested Tuesday afternoon and charged with three counts of felony insurance fraud and one count of felony conspiracy to commit a crime.
Pedigo’s alleged boyfriend, Christopher Joel Dowdy, was arrested Wednesday morning following what was described as a “brief stand-off” with an Enforcement Division investigator and deputies with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the release said. Dowdy was charged with one count of felony insurance fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit a crime.
Pedigo, a Georgia licensed insurance agent, and Dowdy, who is known to install windows and vinyl siding, are accused of conspiring to create multiple fraudulent certificates of insurance indicating that Dowdy had workers’ compensation insurance. The pair then presented those certificates to a Lee County contractor, officials say.
Based on evidence obtained during the investigation, it was determined that Dowdy was uninsured, which has cost the general contractor over $21,000 in additional premium, officials said.
The case remains under investigation and officials with the Enforcement Division are asking that any business owners in the Albany or Leesburg areas who may have received certificates of workers’ compensation from Lee Affordable Insurance or from Dowdy to contact them at (404) 657-7258 or (800) 533-0682.
The state agency also noted that anyone who receives a certificate of workers’ compensation insurance coverage may verify the certificate at the State Board’s website, www.sbwc.georgia.gov, or by contacting the insurance company directly.
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