KC Reporter

A Columbia, Missouri man has been sentenced for his involvement in an insurance fraud scheme and for fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 relief funds. Lawrence Courtney Lawhorn, aged 37, was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison without parole by U.S. District Judge Rosanne Ketchmark. He was also ordered to pay $187,109.75 in restitution to insurance companies, medical providers, and the Small Business Administration.

The fraudulent activities began in 2017 when Lawhorn orchestrated staged automobile accidents in mid-Missouri. He was involved in three staged accidents and recruited others, including family members. Participants would feign injuries, thereby inflating medical bills to increase potential insurance settlements. During one staged accident, Lawhorn impersonated a person with settlement authority when communicating with the insurance company.

The operation expanded to Kansas City and St. Louis, resulting in 10 staged auto accidents by the time of Lawhorn's arrest in 2020. The scheme caused losses of approximately $1.2 million. Lawhorn reportedly kept around $105,721.17 from these activities.

In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Lawhorn and an accomplice, Tina Battie, submitted fraudulent applications for Economic Disaster Relief Loans from the Small Business Administration, falsely claiming to represent businesses. Lawhorn secured $10,000 from his account and $20,000 through additional applications. The loans were later forgiven. Battie was sentenced last year for her involvement.

Assistant United States Attorney Aaron M. Maness prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Columbia Police Department, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.