Ex-L.A. County worker convicted of insurance fraud arrested again on same charge

A former Los Angeles County probation officer who was convicted last year of defrauding Allstate Insurance was arrested this week on suspicion of defrauding another insurance company, authorities said.

Robyn Palmer, 30, was convicted in May 2014 of 14 felonies, including insurance fraud, forgery and grand theft for collecting illicit disability payments from Allstate, according to the California Department of Insurance.

She was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay about $31,000.

But another company providing insurance coverage to Palmer, American Family Life Insurance Company, or AFLAC, noticed something amiss and reported possible fraud to state authorities, prompting a second probe, officials said.

Investigators allege that Palmer collected about $24,000 in disability payments from AFLAC while being prosecuted for defrauding Allstate, state officials said. She continued receiving payments while on probation, authorities said.

“Palmer’s nerve in allegedly collecting disability benefits fraudulently while serving probation for doing the same thing to another insurer is egregious,” state Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said.

Palmer, a Long Beach resident, was arrested Wednesday and is being held in lieu of $150,000 bail. An attorney representing her could not be reached.

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