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New Bedford Couple Guilty of Wire Fraud Scheme
A married couple from New Bedford has been found guilty of defrauding clients of over $750,000 through their insurance business.
Brendan Lawler, 58, and Lisa Lawler, 46, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in federal court in Boston. The couple’s business, BL Insurance Brokerage, LLC, was the center of the scheme.
According to the investigation, the Lawlers solicited and collected insurance payments from clients, which should have been paid to the clients’ insurance providers. Instead, they pocketed the payments and used the money for their own purposes.
The couple also used incoming client funds to pay outstanding balances due to other clients’ insurers and created fake insurance documents to conceal their theft. The scheme affected at least 50 individuals or insurance providers.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain to the defendant or loss to the victim. Sentencing is scheduled for July 22, 2026.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Division of Insurance and Insurance Fraud Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Cleary is prosecuting the case.
Members of the public who believe they may be a victim of this case or have any relevant information related to this case are requested to fill out the attached form to be contacted by a member of law enforcement: https://forms.fbi.gov/victims/BLInsuranceVictims/view.
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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