FAIRFIELD COUNTY, OH — Former Columbus bail bond agent Erica Brim has been sentenced to three years of community control by the Fairfield County Common Pleas Court for felony theft. Brim was also ordered to pay restitution of $6,600 and is permanently barred from working as a bonding agent.
The Ohio Department of Insurance’s investigation uncovered that Brim had accepted money from a consumer to post a bail bond in Fairfield County but failed to complete the transaction. On November 9, 2018, Brim received a cashier’s check from a consumer intended for a bail bond for the consumer’s fiancé. However, Brim did not post the bond with the clerk of court and did not return the money.
Brim’s bail bond license was surrendered to the Ohio Department of Insurance on July 24, 2019, following allegations of “improperly withholding, misappropriating, or converting any money or property received in the course of doing insurance business.”
The case was referred to the Fairfield County Prosecutor, leading to Brim’s indictment on charges of theft and telecommunications fraud. Brim pleaded guilty to theft as part of a plea agreement. She was sentenced on July 10.
Ohio residents suspecting insurance fraud or misconduct are encouraged to report such issues to the Ohio Department of Insurance at 800-686-1527 or visit insurance.ohio.gov.