Hoke County man charged with obtaining property under false pretense, possessing stolen goods, felony conspiracy

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Kadeem Welch-Norton, 32, of 462 Northwoods Drive, Raeford. Welch-Norton was charged with one count of obtaining property by false pretense, three counts of possession of stolen goods and three counts of conspiracy, all felonies.

Special agents with the Department of Insurance's Criminal Investigations Division accuse Welch-Norton of possessing and conspiring with a codefendant to deposit three stolen and altered checks, including a check from Erie Insurance Co., into his bank account. Through these stolen and altered checks, Navy Federal Credit Union released $17,973.38 into his account.

Welch-Norton surrendered to the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office on June 5 after a warrant for arrest was issued Feb. 10. He was given a $50,000 unsecured bond and is scheduled to appear in Cumberland County District Court on June 24. The two other defendants in the case were arrested in February and indicted by a grand jury earlier this month.

Commissioner Causey encourages North Carolinians to help keep insurance premiums low by reporting suspicious fraud. "Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime," Commissioner Causey said. "It hits all of us in the pocket through higher premiums."

If you suspect insurance fraud or other white-collar crimes, please report it. You may anonymously report fraud by calling the N.C. Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840 or toll free from anywhere in North Carolina at 888-680-7684.

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