November 18, 2022
OLYMPIA, Wash. — John Michael St. Clair, of Renton, Wash., has been added to Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s insurance fraud most wanted list after being charged with insurance fraud.
If you have information that may lead to his arrest, please contact your local law enforcement agency or contact Kreidler's Criminal Investigations Unit (CIU).
The King County Prosecutor’s Office charged St. Clair with false claims or proof and issued a warrant for his arrest, due to additional warrants and his history of failing to appear for court hearings.
CIU’s investigation asserts that St. Clair traded in a 2018 Audi and a 2019 Audi to purchase an Audi S8 in April 2021. Unbeknownst to the dealer, St. Clair had an outstanding lien against one of the vehicles and the dealership paid $14,468 to satisfy the lien.
The dealership informed St. Clair that, due to the lien, he needed to return the vehicle. St. Clair did not comply and the Audi was subsequently repossessed, with help from Renton police and with St. Clair’s knowledge.
The next day, St. Clair filed a stolen vehicle report with Seattle Police Department and a claim with GEICO stating his vehicle had been stolen. He attempted to have GEICO pay $129,500 for the value of the vehicle.
GEICO performed their own investigation and discovered that the vehicle was never stolen but was repossessed. They denied the claim and referred it to CIU, as required by state law. CIU’s own investigation confirmed those findings and the case was referred to the King County Prosecutor’s Office.
CIU investigates insurance fraud and works with allied law enforcement agencies and state and local prosecutors on criminal cases. Insurance fraud costs the average family $400 to $700 per year in increased premiums.
If you suspect someone of committing insurance fraud, report it to Kreidler’s investigators.