Antonio Govea Figueroa, Wire Fraud, TX, 2023

BEAUMONT, TEXAS – Antonio Govea Figueroa, a 42-year-old man from Nederland, Texas, has pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges in the Eastern District of Texas, according to U.S. Attorney John M. Bales.

Figueroa, who owned and operated Tony’s Kustom & Collision in Port Arthur, Texas, admitted to submitting false claims to Farmers Insurance for collision work from June 2008 to November 2013. The fraudulent activities were discovered when an inspection of 44 claims revealed that Figueroa claimed repairs that weren’t actually done and used salvaged or inferior parts instead of new ones without the insured’s consent.

The scam netted Figueroa nearly $118,013, which he is now required to pay back. The U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith F. Giblin presided over his guilty plea today. A sentencing date has yet to be set, with Figueroa facing up to 20 years in federal prison.

The investigation into this case was a collaborative effort between the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Farmers Insurance Significant Investigations Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher T. Tortorice is prosecuting the case.

For local residents, this conviction serves as a stark reminder of the lengths some will go to defraud insurance companies for personal gain. Figueroa’s actions not only cost him his business and freedom but also put an unnecessary burden on Farmers Insurance and its policyholders.