Troy Hazelwood, 42, of Christiansburg, and his mother, Cynthia M. Craft of Pulaski, have each been sentenced to serve a maximum of three years in prison for insurance fraud. They will also have to make restitution.
Hazelwood and Craft had operated New River Valley Insurance Associates in Pulaski. Investigators discovered the two had taken payments from 27 clients and had not turned the money, totaling $40,792, over to the different insurance companies over a period of two years. Instead, they deposited the money in personal bank accounts. Both individuals faced more than a dozen fraud charges.
The incidents came to light after clients were informed by the Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles that their driver’s licenses had been suspended for not having insurance.
Following their court appearance, Hazelwood and Craft were taken to the New River Valley Regional Jail last week to begin serving their sentence.
Pulaski County Circuit Judge Bradley Finch also ordered the two to make restitution to the clients they defrauded.