Tolland Man Charged In Insurance Fraud Scheme Investigation: Warrants

TOLLAND, CT — A former Tolland resident has been arrested in connection with what state police termed an organized insurance fraud scheme.

On Thursday, Ian Pierce, 34, was arrested on four arrest warrants that stemmed from a lengthy investigation by the statewide Statewide Organized Crime Investigative Task Force, state police said. State police said they were alerted the the scheme by a tip received from the Connecticut Insurance Department regarding a life insurance fraud scheme occurring between 2020 through November 2024.

Pierce was identified as a suspect, according to the warrants, which cite him using different methods and employing fake personas to collected premiums on non-existent and/or lapsed life insurance policies from at least nine currently identified individuals throughout Connecticut and other states.

The victims include:

• A 37-year-old from Watertown
• A 34-year-old from Torrington
• A 33-year-old from Newtown
• A 34-year-old from Enfield
• A 39-year-old from Enfield
• A 36-year-old from Trumbull
• A 35-year-old from Lombard, ILL
• A 35-year-old from Orlando, FL
• A 34-year-old from Milwaukee, WI

Pierce has been charged with:

• First-degree larceny
• Second-degree larceny (4 counts)
• Third-degree larceny (2 counts)
• First-degree forgery
• Second-degree forgery (4 counts)
• Third-degree forgery (7 counts)
• Issuing a bad check of moee than $2,000 (9 counts)
• Criminal impersonation (3 counts)

Pierce was released from custody on a total of $335,000 in bonds and is scheduled to appear in Rockville Superior Court on Aug. 7, state police said.

According to warrants, Pierce was employed by an insurance company, the name of which was redacted in court papers, but was fired in March 2020 for misappropriating client funds to himself. His license was revoked by The Connecticut Insurance Department In June 2021, according to warrants.

Pierce then began claiming he was an agent again and began not only soliciting business, but collecting premiums for non-existent policies, warrants state.

The scheme caused many of the legitimate policies written for the victims to lapse, according to warrants.

Pierce has a Tolland Stage Road address on the warrants.