A Kent man recently pleaded guilty to one count of fraudulent insurance claim for listing items stolen in a burglary that had been returned to stores prior to the theft.

Duy Thai was recently convicted after an investigation by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Criminal Investigations Unit, according to a July 30 news release from state Office of the Insurance Commissioner. While 364 days of his 365-day sentence were suspended, Thai was ordered to serve 24 months’ probation and complete 40 hours of community service.

Thai pleaded guilty in King County Superior Court.

The Kent home where Thai lived with his parents was burglarized in January 2022. He handled the claim with American Family insurance, as his parents spoke limited English, and filed a claim on their behalf that stated $43,130 worth of items was stolen. He submitted various invoices and receipts as proof of ownership.

American Family issued a payment of $34,673 within a few days. After issuing the check, American Family conducted a claim review and discovered an invoice for a Prada handbag showed the item had been returned prior to the theft.

After more research, American Family found several other receipts showing items returned before the burglary. The company issued a stop payment on the check and referred the claim to the state Insurance Commissioner’s Criminal Investigation Unit.