Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A New Bedford couple has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with their insurance business, BL Insurance Brokerage, LLC. Brendan Lawler, 58, and Lisa Lawler, 45, allegedly defrauded clients seeking insurance coverage by collecting payments that were not forwarded to the appropriate insurance providers.
According to charging documents, between March 2023 and March 2024, the Lawlers solicited and received insurance payments from clients but kept the funds for personal use instead of paying the insurers. The complaint alleges that they concealed the theft by using new client payments to pay overdue balances owed to other clients’ insurers. The Lawlers are also accused of distributing documents that falsely indicated clients had valid insurance coverage.
The scheme is alleged to have affected at least 50 individuals or entities—including insurance providers, premium finance companies, and hard money lenders—with losses totaling more than $750,000.
“The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” according to the press release.
The charge carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the loss suffered by victims. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and applicable statutes.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston Division announced the charges. The Massachusetts Division of Insurance and Insurance Fraud Bureau provided assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Cleary is prosecuting the case.
