Trucking company owner indicted for scamming insurer

A grand jury in Travis County, Texas has indicted the former co-owner of a trucking company for workers’ compensation fraud-related charges, according to Texas Mutual Insurance Company.

Frances Hall, former co-owner of San Antonio gravel-hauling business Bill Hall Jr. Trucking, has been accused of scamming Texas Mutual. Hall and her now-deceased husband, Bill Hall Jr., obtained workers’ compensation insurance from Texas Mutual between October 2009 and February 2016.

The indictment alleges that Frances Hall provided false payroll information to Texas Mutual auditors in order to avoid paying more than $9 million in premium. Texas Mutual began to investigate the company when claims and payroll documentation couldn’t be reconciled. Following the investigation, the insurer filed a complaint with the Texas Department of Insurance’s Division of Workers’ Compensation, which later referred the case to the Travis County District Attorney’s Office.

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On June 30, the grand jury indicted Frances Hall for securing execution of documents by deception, a first-degree felony.

“Because workers’ compensation insurance premium is based in part on payroll, this type of scheme results in an employer being charged a lower premium than what is truly owed,” Texas Mutual said. “By hiding payroll, an employer can gain an unfair advantage over competitors.”