Sanders County Attorney facing insurance fraud charge

by Annie Wooden

Sanders County Attorney Naomi Leisz is facing a felony insurance fraud by the State of Montana. Charges were filed Tuesday in 20th Judicial District Court in Sanders County, accusing Leisz of criminal insurance fraud, a felony. The charge is pending approval by a District Court judge.

Charging documents allege that in April of 2022, Trooper Steven Spurr of the Montana Highway Patrol received a call from a local insurance agent regarding a possible hit-and-run traffic accident involving a member of Leisz’s family. Spurr checked with Northern Lights, the power company in Trout Creek, and learned that a power pole had been hit and replaced on the morning April 21, 2022. At the crash site several days later, Trooper Spurr found multiple car parts with “Hyundai” stamped on them. He stated that he further investigated and discovered Leisz had filed an insurance claim in April for damage to a Hyundai Elantra.

Court documents state that Leisz told Trooper Spurr she was driving the vehicle when it struck an animal, causing her to leave the road and collide with a tree. They also detail that additional interviews uncovered that one of Leisz’s children was driving the vehicle when the accident occurred and that the child was not included in Leisz’s insurance policy. Investigators allege that Leisz misrepresented to the insurance company that she was driving the vehicle. The insurance company told investigators that they paid just over $8,800 to Leisz on the claim.

MHP’s report was referred to the Commissioner of Securities & Insurance, Office of the Montana State Auditor, for further investigation into the alleged fraudulent claim, and the affidavit alleging the felony insurance fraud charge was filed this week. Leisz declined to comment on the charges when contacted by The Ledger.