A Bertie County man has been accused of fraud by impersonating several people and taking life insurance policies in their names.
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey said William Alston is facing several charges, including insurance fraud and forgery.
Causey said the fraudulent policies, spread across nine insurance companies, total $1.86 million. After the people who were insured died, Alston is accused of submitting 38 claims and getting more than $140,000 in payouts.
The insurance commissioner added that about 20 cents of every insurance premium dollar is used to cover fraud costs.