CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – A Charlotte man was arrested and charged Friday after falsely claiming his mother had died, according to the N.C. Department of Insurance.

Heritier Tungisa (Courtesy: MCSO)

Heritier Tungisa, 38, was given a $10,000 bond and charged with felony insurance fraud.

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Special agents with the department’s criminal investigations division accused Tungisa of lying about his mom’s death, as he said she ‘died in a vehicle accident’ in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The offense occurred on July 20, 2021; reports stated that Tungisa’s mother is still alive.

“Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime,” said Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey. “It hits all of us in the pocket through higher premiums.”

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Causey is encouraging North Carolinians to help keep insurance premiums low by reporting suspicious frauds.