A public adjuster has been convicted of swindling eight homeowners out of their insurance claims and fleeing his home state of California.
According to the California Department of Insurance (CDI), Norman Hugh Baker posed as a licensed public adjuster and conned eight homeowners out of almost $100,000. The scheme involved Baker convincing homeowners that he would help them with claims from rain damage. He obtained several insurance claim-settlement checks issued to him and the homeowners. After receiving the checks, homeowners were instructed to endorse them to Baker, who claimed he would use the funds to conduct property repairs.
But Baker never arranged for any repairs, and instead pocketed $95,038.65 in claim checks. He pled guilty in Nov. 2006, and paid back half the restitution he owed in January. The remaining $47,000+ was to be paid this past June, but Baker failed to show for the court hearing. He was later found in Georgia and extradited back to California.
As a result of these new charges, he faces a maximum of five years in state prison for grand theft and for failure to appear in court.
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