Woman Sentenced For Insurance Fraud After Claiming Water Damage

UPPER MARLBORO, MD — A 39-year-old Upper Marlboro woman has been sentenced in connection to insurance fraud.

According to the prosecution, Rhonda Keisha Powell, also known as Rhonda Keisha Jackson, submitted fraudulent insurance claims in December 2020 and November 2022 under her United States Automobile Association renter’s policy. In both claims, she stated that a broken pipe in the primary suite bathroom of her Upper Marlboro home caused flooding, damaging her furniture, electronic devices, clothing, purses, shoes and jewelry.

In the 2020 claim, USAA paid Powell $58,373. In the 2022 claim, Powell alleged property damages of $124,034. However, USAA denied that claim when it learned that Powell had never reported any broken water pipes or water damage to her landlord, that invoices and receipts that Powell submitted in support of both of her claims had been manufactured or altered, and that photos of alleged damage to the property were actually taken from the internet, the prosecution stated.

On Oct. 29, 2024, Powell pleaded guilty to two counts of felony insurance fraud. On Feb. 20, Powell was sentenced to five years of incarceration, suspending all but 45 days. Powell also will be on supervised probation for five years once she's released. She is required to pay $58,373 in restitution to USAA.