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Raleigh, North Carolina
In a shocking case of deception, William Larry Rogers, a 69-year-old insurance agent, and Richard Enoch, a 68-year-old farmer, have been sentenced for their roles in a multi-million dollar crop insurance fraud scheme.
According to court documents, Rogers, the owner of W.L. Rogers Farm, LLC and an insurance agent with Triangle Insurance Group, Inc., conspired with others to commit fraud upon the federal crop insurance program and private crop hail programs. From September 2005 through September 2011, Rogers filed false and fraudulent federal crop insurance claims, sold unreported tobacco, and hid the criminal proceeds through payments in nominee names.
Rogers was sentenced to a total of 108 months imprisonment followed by 3 years supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $8,381,378. His co-conspirator, Richard Enoch, received 1 day imprisonment followed by 5 years supervised release, 6 months house arrest, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $58,672.00 and a fine in the amount of $5,000.
As an insurance agent, Rogers was a gatekeeper to ensure honest reporting to the federal government and private insurance companies. Instead, Rogers abused his position of trust for personal enrichment and for the benefit of his insureds.
The U.S. Attorney’s office continues to aggressively investigate federal crop insurance fraud to protect the integrity of the United States Department of Agriculture programs and safeguard the taxpayer’s monies.
The Criminal Informations were filed on September 4, 2012, and September 27, 2012, charging Rogers and Enoch, respectively. On October 29, 2012, both defendants pled guilty to making false statements to the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation and aiding and abetting the same, all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1014 and 2.
Rogers also pled guilty to conspiring to make false statements, to make material false statements, to commit mail and wire fraud, and to obstruction of justice, all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.
According to the Criminal Information and information presented in open court, Enoch was a tobacco farmer in Alamance County and Rogers was his insurance agent. Rogers helped his farmers pay bribes to loss adjusters who, in turn, inflated the extent of damage to tobacco crops.
The scheme involved Rogers taking tobacco production from co-conspiring farmers and selling that tobacco on the W.L. Rogers Farms, LLC contract. The farmers then filed false crop insurance claims, and Rogers helped them pay bribes to loss adjusters to inflate the claims.
Rogers’ actions resulted in a total of $8,381,378 in restitution, while Enoch was ordered to pay $58,672.00 and a fine of $5,000. Both defendants are from Mebane, North Carolina.
The case serves as a reminder of the importance of honesty and transparency in reporting to the federal government and private insurance companies.
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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