The Department of Justice has reported a federal jury has found a Kissimmee man guilty of 10 counts of wire fraud after defrauding his employer of $580,000.
James Octavias Tobias Owens, 34, faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count at his sentencing scheduled for Dec. 9. The FBI investigated the case.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, between March 2021 and February 2022 Owens defrauded his employer, a regional insurance company, out of the purported amount. Owens, who worked as a claims adjuster at the company, would reopen claims files that had already been settled and paid out. He would upload “comparative estimates” that he created to the claim files to make it look like additional work had been done. Owens would then cause checks to be issued on the claims to a shell company that he controlled that was disguised as a construction and roofing company. After the checks were issued, Owens would cash the checks at Orlando-area ATMs. He then used the proceeds for his own personal benefit, including to purchase designer clothing, jewelry, hotel rooms, vehicle accessories, and other luxury items.
