Fraudster sentenced after selling hundreds of fake motor insurance policies

Rodney Bruce Van der Puye, 34, of Cator Street, Southwark, London, has been sentenced after setting up hundreds of fraudulent motor insurance policies using stolen personal information.

The Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) first spotted Van der Puye's suspicious activity after it found 28 insurance policies which appeared to be linked to one individual. The case was then referred to City of London Police's Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) for further investigation, where a search warrant exposed a significant number more of fraudulent policies linked to the fraudster.

It was found that Van der Puye had pocketed around £50,000 over 15 months by acting as an illegal intermediary which is known to the insurance industry as a 'Ghost Broker'.

He targeted some of the UK's biggest insurance companies using his, his mother's and unknowing members of the public's identities, for his customers to take out cheaper motor insurance policies, charging anywhere from £80-£150 per policy.

Surprisingly, the investigation uncovered that many of his customers were completely aware that the policies they were purchasing were fraudulent.

Van der Puye was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment suspended for two years and ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work on Thursday 6 July 2022 at Inner London Crown Court. He previously changed his plea from not guilty to guilty for fraud by false representation, money laundering and providing a regulated claims management service whilst unauthorised. 

Stephen Dalton, Head of Intelligence and Investigations at the IFB, said:

“From the start of this investigation, it was clear we were dealing with a ghost broker unlike any other. Not only was this fraudster using stolen personal information to sell bogus insurance policies on a large scale, but his customers were also in on the act - requesting fraudulent motor insurance so they could use the road without being detected for no insurance.

“This case goes to show just how far-reaching and dangerous the impact of insurance fraud can be. Now that Van der Puye has been stopped in his tracks, it also means many of his so-called clients who were knowingly flouting the law, have also been prevented from committing fraud.

“In what has been a challenging investigation in partnership with IFED, we’re very pleased to see justice has been served and we hope that this conviction serves as a warning to anyone thinking of taking out bogus insurance services. We’re on to them.”

Evidence of insurance fraud can be reported to the IFB's confidential CheatLine at 0800 422 0421 or online.

Read more about the investigation on City of London Police's news centre.