Defendant Submitted Fake Pictures and Receipts in Support of Her False Claim of Extensive Water Damage to Her Home and Personal Property
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced that Rhonda Keisha Powell, also known as Rhonda Keisha Jackson, 39, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was sentenced on two counts of felony insurance fraud.
On February 20, 2025, Judge Hill sentenced Powell to five years of incarceration, suspending all but 45 days. At the conclusion of her incarceration, Powell will be on supervised probation for five years. She is required to pay $58,373 in restitution to USAA.
Powell submitted fraudulent insurance claims in December 2020 and November 2022 under her United States Automobile Association (USAA) renter’s policy.
In both claims, she alleged that a broken pipe in the primary suite bathroom of her Upper Marlboro home caused flooding, damaging her furniture, electronic devices, clothing, purses, shoes, and jewelry. In the 2020 claim, USAA paid Powell $58,373.
In the 2022 claim, Powell alleged property damages of $124,034. However, USAA denied that claim when it learned that Powell had never reported any broken water pipes or water damage to her landlord, that invoices and receipts that Powell submitted in support of both of her claims had been manufactured or altered, and that photos of alleged damage to the property were actually taken from the internet.
On October 29, 2024, Powell pleaded guilty to two counts of felony insurance fraud before the Honorable Lawrence V. Hill, Jr., in the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County.
In making today’s announcement, Attorney General Brown thanked his Criminal Division, specifically Fraud and Corruption Unit Chief Alex Huggins and Assistant Attorney General Michelle Martin, who prosecuted this case. Attorney General Brown also thanked Maryland Insurance Administration Investigator Edward Spragg and Forensic Auditor Suzzanne Jones for their assistance with this investigation. Finally, Attorney General Brown thanked State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County Aisha Braveboy for her assistance with this prosecution
