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Long Beach insurance agent arrested for
identity theft and forgery
LONG BEACH, CA — Insurance agent Richard Valdriz, 52, has been charged with thirteen felony counts including identity theft, forgery, and grand theft after an investigation by the California Department of Insurance found that he had allegedly used the identity of policyholders to renew their auto insurance policies without their knowledge or consent to receive $4,555 in commissions.
Valdriz’s clients’ insurance policies had lapsed and they had not requested renewal. Without his clients’ knowledge or consent, Valdriz renewed his clients’ cancelled policies by electronically forging their signatures in order to submit and obtain a renewal of the insurance policy. Valdriz then submitted bogus premium payment receipts to the insurance carrier in order to collect commissions.
An arrest warrant was issued on October 17, 2019 and yesterday Valdriz turned himself into the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
The department is taking immediate action against Valdriz’s license. This case is being prosecuted by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
