The owner of a well-known insurance agency in Scranton is being forced to give up his license.
The state says the owner of Murray Insurance was covering up for one of his employees.
The Murray Insurance Agency is well-known for its annual donation of turkeys during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Now officials at the Pennsylvania Insurance Department say owner Brian Murray admitted he allowed an employee to sell insurance even though the employee didn't have a license.
A representative from the state insurance department said Friday not only did that employee not have a license, Christine Oliver also stole about $500,000 from clients.
The department said Murray knew she was misusing clients' money and he did nothing to stop it.
"You also notice in the consent order that he kept her on in the agency after there's a theft of half a million dollars and we have a real problem with that," said Terry Keating of the Pennsylvania Insurance Department.
The insurance department goes on to say Brian Murray did not watch Oliver close enough before she was caught stealing and that even after he found out, he never told the affected clients that she was misusing their money.
A Murray Insurance customer said he has worked with Murray for 10, maybe 15 years. "No, he's a great person. I've known him for years, when he had an office in Dunmore. Never had any problems with him," the customer who didn't give his name said.
The state said Murray will lose his insurance license and must pay a $120,000 penalty.
"He can't appeal it because this is a consent order. It's not a decision that can not be appealed through a court. It's something he agreed to," Keating explained.
Brian Murray released the following statement: "Murray Insurance Agency, Inc. has retained all of its licenses and is continuing to do business as usual. the agency remains in good standing and all polices placed with the agency are in full force. They agency will be sold by mid-October and all our clients can remain confident that they will continue to serve with the same commitment and service as the agency has in the past. I, personally, have opted to give up my insurance license in light of the circumstances that have occurred, but I greatly appreciate the support and loyalty of all the agency's clients and employees."
The state says the owner of Murray Insurance was covering up for one of his employees.
The Murray Insurance Agency is well-known for its annual donation of turkeys during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Now officials at the Pennsylvania Insurance Department say owner Brian Murray admitted he allowed an employee to sell insurance even though the employee didn't have a license.
A representative from the state insurance department said Friday not only did that employee not have a license, Christine Oliver also stole about $500,000 from clients.
The department said Murray knew she was misusing clients' money and he did nothing to stop it.
"You also notice in the consent order that he kept her on in the agency after there's a theft of half a million dollars and we have a real problem with that," said Terry Keating of the Pennsylvania Insurance Department.
The insurance department goes on to say Brian Murray did not watch Oliver close enough before she was caught stealing and that even after he found out, he never told the affected clients that she was misusing their money.
A Murray Insurance customer said he has worked with Murray for 10, maybe 15 years. "No, he's a great person. I've known him for years, when he had an office in Dunmore. Never had any problems with him," the customer who didn't give his name said.
The state said Murray will lose his insurance license and must pay a $120,000 penalty.
"He can't appeal it because this is a consent order. It's not a decision that can not be appealed through a court. It's something he agreed to," Keating explained.
Brian Murray released the following statement: "Murray Insurance Agency, Inc. has retained all of its licenses and is continuing to do business as usual. the agency remains in good standing and all polices placed with the agency are in full force. They agency will be sold by mid-October and all our clients can remain confident that they will continue to serve with the same commitment and service as the agency has in the past. I, personally, have opted to give up my insurance license in light of the circumstances that have occurred, but I greatly appreciate the support and loyalty of all the agency's clients and employees."
