Telfair County man sentenced after admitting he bought life insurance policy on woman without her permission

AUGUSTA, GA:  A Telfair County man has been sentenced in federal court after admitting he took out a life insurance policy on a woman without her knowledge, naming himself as the potential beneficiary.

Jonathan Seay, 56, of McRae-Helena, Ga., was sentenced to three years of probation after pleading guilty to the felony charge of Unlawful Use of a Means of Identification In or Affecting Interstate Commerce, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

“This guilty plea and felony sentence ensures Jonathan Seay is held accountable for this attempt to cash in on an innocent victim’s death,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “It also should serve as a warning to others tempted to try such a cynical ploy at profiting from someone else’s demise.”

As spelled out in court, Seay admitted using a woman’s information without her knowledge or consent to take out a life insurance policy for $250,000, naming himself as the beneficiary in the event of her accidental death. The policy later was discovered and canceled.

“Seay has admitted his wrongdoing and will now be held accountable for his crime of greed,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “No matter the depth of the crime, the FBI will always work with our law enforcement partners to protect our citizens and do everything in our power to stop fraud and restore justice.”

“This type of fraud will not be tolerated in Georgia,” said Vic Reynolds, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “We value the partnership with federal agencies to ensure these offenders are held accountable and the victims get justice.”

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry W. Syms Jr. and Jerimiah L. Johnson.