Police say man selling fake insurance may have sold 500 certificates statewide
GRAND RAPIDS -- A man who sold fake auto insurance for $40 -- making documents on his home computer -- may have sold up to 500 insurance certificates to people across the state, police said.
Isaac Chandler, 31, of Comstock Park, is awaiting sentencing on charges of selling counterfeit insurance certificates and using a computer to commit a crime.
Police arrested Chandler on April 21 at his home in York Creek Apartments.
Walker police Sgt. Keith Mankel said a majority of people who bought certificates from Chandler, who issued certificates under the company names of Citizens Insurance, Meridian Insurance and Nationwide Mutual Insurance, believed they were buying valid insurance.
"They are very real-looking documents," he said. "When I saw the insurance certificate, I thought it was valid."
Investigators with Walker and Grand Rapids police and the Kent County Sheriff's Department tracked down Chandler after a January fatal accident in Walker that killed Marian Lewis, 88, of Grand Rapids. Police discovered the other driver, who was at fault, received insurance from Chandler that was invalid.
Police first investigated Chandler after Press columnist
Tom Rademacher wrote an April 1, 2007, column,
"Forty bucks for insurance? Seems shady to me."
Mary Cardosa of Wyoming, one of Chandler's victims, said she never suspected her insurance was invalid until police called her a couple of months ago about the investigation of Chandler.
She signed up for his insurance deal after seeing a flier attached to a telephone pole about three years ago.
"He was a really friendly guy. He seemed like the type of guy who just wanted to help you out," said Cardosa, who was particularly strapped for cash when she first contacted Chandler.
At the Secretary of State's office, no one questioned her certificates when she went to buy new tags.
Cardosa, who has since signed up with a new insurance carrier, admits she probably even helped Chandler scam more people by spreading the word about his great deal.
Police urge anyone who bought a policy from Isaac Chandler or another name he used, Clarence, to call police at 632-5400.
