A Texas man, Andrew Mitchell, admitted guilt in a mail fraud case that defrauded an Albany church of millions of dollars meant for repairing damages caused by Hurricane Michael in 2018. Mitchell, 45, acted as an insurance adjuster and is now facing severe legal consequences. He pleaded guilty to the charge before U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands. His sentence could reach up to 30 years in prison, followed by a minimum of three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine. The court has not yet set a sentencing date as federal guidelines do not allow parole.
The case, involving the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Albany, highlights the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, a catastrophic storm that hit the area with considerable force. Church facilities suffered extensive damage, initially appraised at $216,000. Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, based in Indiana, issued an initial payment of $183,207.89 for repairs.
According to the proceedings, Mitchell had used multiple identities and corporate fronts, including working as a public adjuster from Texas, to submit grossly inflated repair estimates. These estimates progressively increased, reaching upwards of $7.495 million. Mitchell received substantial insurance payouts, totaling nearly $7 million, but much of this money did not reach the intended repair efforts.
Acting U.S. Attorney Shanelle Booker expressed the severity of defrauding a religious institution post-disaster, and Georgia Insurance Commissioner John F. King praised the investigation efforts to safeguard community interests. The legal proceedings reveal a series of forged documents and deceptive invoicing involving non-existent or unrendered services.
Despite receiving significant funds, the repairs remain incomplete, with only a fraction directed towards actual restoration. Mitchell falsely communicated to the church and partners that further payouts had been frozen by Brotherhood Mutual, maintaining the charade until confronted.
The Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Fire Safety spearheaded the investigation, with Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuting.