The insurance fraud scheme, believed to have victimized at least 269 South Carolinians, involves the sale of limited benefit medical plans backed by nonexistent insurance to unsuspecting consumers through associations, and was orchestrated in large part from South Carolina.

Director Richardson was quoted as saying, “Unfortunately, scams such as this one leave those South Carolinians who can least afford it stuck with unpaid medical bills, which they thought were covered by insurance”.

Sixteen other states have taken regulatory action against those involved in the scheme.

As of March 26, 2010 the fraudulent insurance operation left approximately 19 million in outstanding claims.

South Carolina company, SouthEast Insurance Advisors, LLC., which the order says may be incorporated in Delaware, maintains a post office box on the Isle of Palms; the company is thought to be controlled by Worthy.

The other company believed to be involved in the scheme is Wilshire Holding, LLC, whose only address is a post office box at the address of a UPS store in suburban Columbia. Wilshire is not licensed by the state Insurance Department.

Others alleged to be involved in the operation and named in the order include:

• Kathleen D. Cauthen
• David L. Clark
• Lousi DeLuca
• Gary L. Karns, Jr.
• David L. Nellson
• Worldwide Family Benefits Association, Inc.,
• Wilshire Holding, LLC
• Viking Administrators, LLC
• Beema-Pakistan Company Limited
• Serve America Assurance, Ltd.
• SouthEast Insurance Advisors, LLC
• United States Contractors Trust
• Insurance Resource Group
• Integrated Insurance Marketing, Inc.
• CEO Clubs, Inc.
• Hudson Valley Consultants, LLC d/b/a CEO Club Benefits
• Metropolitan Business Alliance, LLC d/b/a National Association of Business Leadership
• Real Benefits Association, LLC

The order requires the respondents to stop selling or taking applications for insurance and to hold any insurance money collected.

We will keep you updated on the situation. If you purchased insurance from any of the companies named above, contact the Strom Law Firm, LLC today for a free consultation to discuss your legal rights.

Last night I had the distinct pleasure of eating at the New York Butcher Shoppe. Conveniently located out in North East Columbia at the Lake Carolina Town Center, the New York Butcher Shoppe & Grille offers a cuisine comparable to that of any famous steakhouse nationwide. It was so good in fact that I purchase a couple of veal steaks on the way out.

Owner Eddie Hargett has done a fantastic job of creating an atmosphere where you can enjoy a casual yet sophisticated dinner or celebration with friends, pick up some groceries or a few choice bottles of wine, or even pick up a lunch or dinner to go.

I highly recommend that you stop in to see Eddie. I know I will be back. It will definitely be worth the trip and you will not be disappointed.

The New York Butcher Shop is open for lunch Monday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can stop in for Dinner on Wednesday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The bar is open Monday through Sunday starting at 4 p.m.

Strom Law Firm is a personal injury and criminal defense law firm centrally located in Columbia, South Carolina. Our firm proudly handles personal injury, criminal defense, defective products, class actions, pharmaceutical liability, toxic torts, medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, workers compensation, social security, veteran’s benefits, qui tam, predatory lending, tax investigations, business litigation, and wills and estates matters. The attorneys at our firm enjoy a good meal as much as we enjoy practicing law. Our lawyers proudly edit: the Columbia, South Carolina Injury Board , and the Strom Law Blog , as well a workers compensation, social security, and DUI blog in an effort to provide the public valuable information. Our lawyers are licensed in: South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.

According to a WSJ article released Monday, federal criminal investigators tasked with examining what led to the collapse of Countrywide have been calling witnesses before a grand jury as part of their criminal investigation.

This suggests that the investigation of the one-time mortgage giant, which has been continuing for about two years, could be moving closer to a resolution.

While the grand jury began hearing witnesses on the Countrywide case late last year, no one knows what potential crimes are being investigated or who the grand jury is talking to.

While calling witnesses before a grand jury doesn’t mean that charges will be filed, it does appear to signify a pick-up in the tempo of a probe that did not appear to be moving very quickly.

In the meantime, Countrywide continues to fight legal battles on other fronts, including a suit brought by the SEC as well as the Consolidated Class Action Civil Suit currently pending in California. The Strom Law Firm serves as proposed class counsel in Consolidated Class Action.

The Class Action

The lawsuit, which is filed on behalf of countless borrowers who were allegedly systematically steered into subprime loans regardless of the type of loan they qualified for, claims that Countrywide, and its network of authorized, contracted brokers, have defrauded countless borrowers across the nation through an undisclosed, systematic scheme designed to steer borrowers into subprime loans. The elaborate scheme seeks to maximize profits for the benefit of the Company, to the detriment of the homeowner.

In order to carry out the scheme, Countrywide and its network, failed to disclose the financial consequences tied to each loan, including:

• the monthly payment, which frequently increased to an amount that the homeowner could not pay, and
• negative amortization, which results in the loan amount actually increasing rather than decreasing over time.

The scheme was carried out regardless of whether:

• the borrower would have qualified for a “prime loan” or
• the borrower was unable to meet the financial terms of the subprime mortgage.

The resulting effect of systematically steering borrowers into inappropriate subprime loans with excess charges and inadequately disclosed risks, includes drastic and unexpected increases in required monthly payments that have caused a flood of foreclosures and financial woes among the Class.

Countrywide and its network of authorized, contracted brokers, also pushed dangerous products such as “pay option ARM” loans, wherein borrowers could afford only to make what Countrywide called the “minimum payment,” which was actually less than the interest owed on the loans, thus increasing their outstanding principal every month and triggering an automatic resetting of the payments, resulting in the minimum monthly payments increasing dramatically after only a short amount of time to a level that guaranteed the flood of foreclosures that we are seeing today. By many estimates, as early as 2006, up to 80% of all option ARM borrowers are only making only the minimum payment each month.

The lawsuit, which has not yet been certified as a Class Action, seeks an injunction prohibiting Countrywide from continuing to engage in its predatory lending practices and requests that Countrywide seeks monetary damages including disgorgement of profits received as well as restitution to borrowers harmed.

The SEC Suit

The lawsuit brought by the SEC asserts that the three men, including former CEO Angelo Mozilo, defrauded investors by falsely claiming that Countrywide underwrote low-risk mortgages at a time when the company was getting into increasingly risky parts of the lending business, including so-called “subprime” mortgages made to less creditworthy borrowers.

The SEC additionally accuses Mozilo of insider trading of Countrywide stock. A trial in the case is scheduled for October. All three defendants vehemently deny any wrongdoing and say they plan to fight the SEC charges.

We will keep you updated as these matters progress.

Strom Law Firm is a personal injury and criminal defense law firm centrally located in Columbia, South Carolina. Our firm proudly handles personal injury, criminal defense, defective products, class actions, pharmaceutical liability, toxic torts, medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, workers compensation, social security, veteran’s benefits, qui tam, predatory lending, tax investigations, business litigation, and wills and estates. Our lawyers proudly edit the Columbia, South Carolina Injury Board as well as the Strom Law Blog as a pro bono effort to provide the public valuable information. Our lawyers are licensed in: South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.

As reported by WIS TV, Benedict College President David Swinton pleaded no contest to charges of failing to maintain fire alarms in two of the college dormitories.

In March, the Columbia Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau issued charges after Benedict College could not produce records confirming that annual fire maintenance had been conducted on fire alarms and sprinkler systems inside two dormitories.

The school contracts TriTek, a private firm alarm company, to maintain and test the school’s fire and sprinkler systems.

Deputy Fire Marshall Kent Scott told a judge Monday that “the college completed the required maintenance after the tickets were issued” and that school officials have spent “millions of dollars in an effort to become complaint with the city’s fire codes”.

Inspection reports released to WIS TV in October 2009 revealed more than 500 fire code and fire safety violations at the college, including allegations that nearly every fire alarm and sprinkler system in Benedict’s dorms was not functioning properly.

Other deficiences noted included blocked, broken, and locked emergency exits which could have trapped innocent college students in the event of a fire.

Columbia Municipal Court Judge Dana Turner ordered Benedict President Swinton to pay $722.50 relating to the charges, but suspended the fines, leaving Swinton to pay $200 in Court costs. Benedict’s compliance records will not be known until October, when the City of Columbia Fire Department is set to complete a full annual inspection.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the estimated number of fires in campus housing has increased dramatically in recent years. NFPA cites the following startling statistics on dormitory fire-related civilian deaths and property damage:

• Between 2003-2006, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 3,570 structure fires in dormitories, fraternities, sororities, and barracks. These fires caused an annual average of 7 civilian deaths, 54 civilian fire injuries, and $29.4 million in direct property damage.

• Between 2003-2006, cooking equipment was involved in 75% of the reported dormitory fires; this includes confined or contained fires.

• Structure fires in dormitories, fraternities, sororities, and barracks are more common during the evening hours between 5-11 p.m., as well as on weekends.

• Only 5% of fires in these properties began in the bedroom, but these fires accounted for 62% of the civilian deaths and one-quarter (26%) of the civilian injuries.

Strom Law Firm is a personal injury law firm centrally located in Columbia, South Carolina. Our firm proudly handles personal injury, cases including burn injury and death cases, criminal defense, defective products, class actions, pharmaceutical liability, toxic torts, medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, workers compensation, social security, veteran’s benefits, qui tam, predatory lending, tax investigations, business litigation and wills and estates.

As reported by WIS, the Obama administration launched a new effort on Monday designed to speed up the time-consuming, stressful process of selling your home if you owe more than it’s worth.

On the other hand, if you are looking to purchase a home or investment property, taking advantage of a short sale has just gotten easier.

If you owe more than your home is worth and you are trying to sell your home, you will receive $3,000 for moving expenses if you complete a short sale – or agree to turn over the deed of the property to the lender.

The program was designed for homeowners who are in financial trouble but who don’t qualify for Obama’s $75 billion mortgage modification program.

The new program benefits an upside down seller and the lender who financed the home.

• While you will still technically lose your home, a short sale or deed in lieu of foreclosure doesn’t hurt your credit score as drastically as a foreclosure.

• Your lender will receive more money for a home in a short sale than it would typically receive in a foreclosure.

• The bank also avoids expensive legal bills, cleanup fees and maintenance costs that typically follow a foreclosure.

“It’s very traumatic and embarrassing and frustrating to go through a foreclosure,” said Laurie Maggiano, policy director of the Treasury Department’s homeownership preservation office. With a short sale, she said, “your financial issues are your own problem and not neighborhood conversation.”

Reports indicate that at least 350,000 homeowners nationwide are expected to benefit from the program through the end of 2012.

For buyers looking to purchase a home, a short sale can be a great opportunity.

Along with the financial incentive for struggling homeowners, the new government program requires the mortgage company to set its minimum bid before the house is listed for sale. If the offer is above the minimum bid, the lender must accept it.

The change is expected to speed up the short sale process as lenders typically have not calculated how much money they were willing to accept on a short sale until they had an offer in hand, causing long delays before the sale was approved.

The new program “will give us a degree of efficiency that we have not had in the past,” said Matt Vernon, Bank of America’s executive in charge of short sales and foreclosed properties.

Under the new process, if you submit an offer to purchase a home in a short sale you should receive a response within two weeks, as opposed to months it previously took to get a response.

The plan which was originally outlined by the Treasury Department last November, recently doubled the original $1,500 in relocation money noting that many homeowners will need more cash to move out.

Now for the restrictions.

• To qualify the home must be your primary residence;

• You must be behind on their mortgage or on the verge of becoming delinquent; and

• Currently, the program is not available for mortgages owned or guaranteed by mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

However, reports indicate that the two government-controlled companies will soon follow suit.

Strom Law Firm is a personal injury and criminal defense law firm centrally located in Columbia, South Carolina. Our firm proudly handles personal injury, criminal defense, defective products, class actions, pharmaceutical liability, toxic torts, medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, workers compensation, social security, veteran’s benefits, qui tam, predatory lending, tax investigations, business litigation, and wills and estates. Our lawyers proudly edit the Columbia, South Carolina Injury Board as well as the Strom Law Blog as a pro bono effort to provide the public valuable information. Our lawyers are licensed in: South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.

According to the Times and Democrat, Leroy Shingler and Ruby Shinglers’ 2009 Toyota Camry was traveling south on Highway 15 when it veered off the right side of the highway, came back across the road, left the highway and struck a tree. Both were wearing seatbeats, but died as a result of the crash.

Toyota has recalled more than 8 million cars and trucks worldwide to address gas pedals and floor mats that can cause the accelerator to become stuck in the depressed position. Federal regulators have linked 52 deaths to crashes allegedly caused by the accelerator problems.

Several 2009 Camrys have been recalled due to sudden acceleration issues. There are reports that Toyota will be involved in the accident investigation, and in the midst of the Toyota Recall controversy, nothing can be ruled out until the SCHP’s Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team wraps up its investigation.

Our thoughts are with the Shingler family.

Strom Law Firm is a personal injury and criminal defense law firm centrally located in Columbia, South Carolina. Our firm proudly handles personal injury, criminal defense, defective products, class actions, pharmaceutical liability, toxic torts, medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, workers compensation, social security, veteran’s benefits, qui tam, predatory lending, tax investigations, business litigation, and wills and estates.

Our lawyers proudly edit the Columbia, South Carolina Injury Board as well as the Strom Law Blog as a pro bono effort to provide the public valuable information. Our lawyers are licensed in: South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.

IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman announced earlier this week that the agency is loosening its rules for negotiating tax settlements and accepting less than the amount owed.

Beginning on March 27, 2010, the agency plans to start opening some local offices on Saturdays, to give taxpayers more opportunities to resolve their tax debts.

The IRS expects to process 138 million individual tax returns this year. While most taxpayers will qualify for a refund, with the drastic job loss that has accompanied the recession, many taxpayers will be unable to make timely payments.

Common IRS Settlement Options

Offer in Compromise: The IRS does not want you to know that as a tax payer you may be able to settle your outstanding tax liability for less the actual amount owed.

Non-Collectable Status: If you do not have the extra income to pay off your tax debt and need your entire paycheck to cover all essential living expenses, you may be eligible to have your debt classified on non-collectable status.

Installment Agreement: The taxpayer enters into an agreement with the IRS to pay a period of smaller, more manageable payments towards his or her tax liability.

Levy and Lien Releases: The IRS has a tremendous amount of power and can seize your assets, including your paycheck as well as money that you have in your personal bank account.

Penalty Abatement: If you owe the IRS, you can be forced to pay interest and penalties on the amount owed. Penalties can be staggering and turn an otherwise manageable debt into an uncontrollable situation.

Don’t wait while the interest and penalties you owe to the IRS continue to mount. Contact the tax attorney at the Strom Law Firm, LLC today for a free consultation to discuss how we can help you put your IRS tax debt behind you. Our lawyers proudly edit the Columbia, South Carolina Injury Board as well as the Strom Law Blog as a pro bono effort to provide the public valuable information. Our lawyers are licensed in: South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.

The latest reports indicate that the jobless rate in South Carolina is 12.6%. While reports indicate that the economy is in fact turning around there are many who are still working hard to find new employment.

No matter what the market conditions, there are always companies looking to hire talented professionals. Being prepared ensures that when a new opportunity becomes available, you will be in a competitive position to receive an offer.

To find your dream job in 2010, we offer the following job tips:

• Start Your Search Now
While it is easy to procrastinate, you need to take action. Update your resume, decide who to use as references, and prepare an outline of your strengths and why you are the perfect candidate. When you are finished start searching for new jobs.

• Be Aware of Potential Changes With Your Current Employer
Depending upon your current situation, it may be safer to stay with your current employer than
find a new job but in soft economies, companies can merge, get acquired, be overtaken, or even shut their doors leaving you out of work. Staying on top of the situation may enable you to take advantage of other employment opportunities before disaster strikes.

• Evaluate Your Career Objectives
Determine what really makes you happy, what you want from your career and what needs to be done to obtain your goal. As part of this determination consider whether you are able to take a step back to get your foot in the door, such as part-time employment or an internship.

• Take Advantage of Your Contacts and Network
If no one knows that you are looking for new employment, they can’t help you. Often times a job lead may come from a colleague, former boss, golfing buddy or otherwise. Talk to people and let them know what you are looking for instead of regretting that you did not speak up sooner. If you are not already involved in your community, consider joining some local groups so that you can expand your networking contacts.

• Make Your Resume Stand Out
In a soft economy, employers are flooded with resumes in response to available job positions. If yours does not stand out you may be overlooked even if you are the ideal candidate. Make sure that your resume is free of typos, that it is tailored to the job you are applying for, that it accurately highlights prior job positions and don’t be afraid to brag about your prior successes. Your new employer needs to know what you are going to contribute. In addition, make sure that your cover letter is addressed and tailored to the job that you are applying for. You would be surprised how many people actually forget to change the contact information leading their resume to be tossed right into the trash can, resulting in a missed opportunity.

• Sell Yourself
Most of us are modest and do not like to talk about ourselves. You need to be able to sell yourself, what you have to offer, and articulate your abilities and strengths with confidence.

• Be Prepared
When you get a call for an interview make sure that you are prepared. Find out everything that you can about the company, its products or services, the person you will be interviewing with, and if possible the work environment. Come up with some questions. The competition is tight these days and you want to make sure that you stand out in his or her mind.

To find a job in South Carolina check out the following resources:

South Carolina Federal Jobs

South Carolina Government Jobs

Monster.com

Yahoo Jobs

Career Builder

Strom Law Firm represents individuals and small businesses in a variety of employment matters. If you were wrongfully terminated, a victim of discrimination, or are dealing with your employer’s failure to pay wages contact us today for a free consultation to see how we can help. Our lawyers proudly edit the Columbia, South Carolina Injury Board as well as the Strom Law Blog as a pro bono effort to provide the public valuable information. Our lawyers are licensed in: South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.

According to the report, the vehicle, identified as a Chevrolet SUV, drove off the right side of Cassatt road in a left-turning curve approximately six miles north of Camden.

After leaving the road, the SUV struck the pole of a caution arm at a railroad crossing. The SUV then overturned onto the tracks. The victim, who was ejected during the accident, has died. There were no passengers.

SUVS are a common and popular mode of transportation. While there is no indication from the article regarding how fast the victim was going or what led her to go off of the road, statistics show that sports utility vehicles are approximately three times more likely to flip than a sedan.

As consumers, we drive SUVS because we believe them to be safe, reliable cars and trust companies like Chevrolet to develop and provide us with transportation that will protect us in the event of an accident.

Despite our sense of security, statistics show that sports utility vehicles are approximately three times more likely to flip than a sedan.

Contrary to common perception, most SUV rollovers occur in single car accidents, and many occur while simply responding to an ordinary road hazard resulting in injuries and deaths that could have been prevented.

The problem with SUVs is that their high center of gravity and narrow track width which can lead the auto to become unstable on the road and more likely to flip, even during a normal response where a driver is forced to change lanes quickly, swerve or otherwise respond to an emergency situation.

Despite creation for off road driving, most SUVs are not equipped with roll over bars, roof crush protection, or even an adequate safety system to which possibly could have prevented this loss.

Manufacturers should be responsible for manufacturing SUVs equipped to deal with everyday road hazards.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim.

Strom Law Firm is a personal injury and criminal defense law firm centrally located in Columbia, South Carolina. Our firm proudly handles personal injury, criminal defense, defective products, class actions, pharmaceutical liability, toxic torts, medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, workers compensation, social security, veteran’s benefits, qui tam, predatory lending, tax investigations, business litigation, and wills and estates. Our lawyers proudly edit the Columbia, South Carolina Injury Board as well as the Strom Law Blog as a pro bono effort to provide the public valuable information. Our lawyers are licensed in: South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said the youth was charged with carrying a weapon on school grounds and the unlawful carrying of a pistol. He was taken to the state Department of Juvenile Justice.

Lott said that the tip came after students who discovered that the fellow student was carrying a pistol at school on Monday told their parents, who called the sheriff’s department.

Bullets for the pistol were found in a bag in a classroom.

Lott said deputies continue to question why the youth had a gun.

The criminal defense attorneys at the Strom Law Firm, L.L.C. include a former United States Attorney, a former public defender, a former Assistant Attorney General and Richland County Assistant Solicitor, as well as a tax lawyer familiar with IRS criminal investigations. The Strom Law Firm aggressively defends individuals on all criminal charges in all State and Federal Courts in South Carolina as well as the Federal Courts in Georgia. Our lawyers proudly edit the Columbia, South Carolina Injury Board as well as the Strom Law Blog as a pro bono effort to provide the public valuable information. Our lawyers are licensed in: South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.