The New Hampshire Executive Council has once again voted against a proposal from the state insurance department to appoint a director for its insurance fraud unit, citing objections to the proposed $109,601 starting salary.
This follows a similar outcome at the council’s June 25 meeting, where the same request was denied. The proposed position would be responsible for overseeing insurance fraud investigations, managing and training staff, and coordinating with law enforcement and prosecuting agencies.
The department had recommended Narciso Garcia Jr. for the role, citing his background in criminal justice and business administration, as well as leadership experience in trauma-informed environments. According to the department, Garcia would be accepting a pay cut if hired for the role.
Commissioner DJ Bettencourt (pictured above) told the council that the salary level was not discretionary. He explained that state rules governing unclassified positions require that a director's pay must exceed that of their subordinates.
One existing staff member currently earns $108,966, placing the proposed director salary in the next pay tier above, according to the department’s request.
The New Hampshire Insurance Department’s fraud unit, originally established in 1993, is tasked with investigating all insurance-related criminal activity within the state.
The unit has historically been staffed with four team members and is responsible for processing hundreds of fraud referrals each year.
In fiscal year 2022, the fraud unit referred 22 suspected fraud cases for criminal prosecution – the most ever recorded in a single year for the agency. Those referrals involved a combined $283,000 in suspected fraudulent claims, illustrating the level of activity the unit can generate under full operation.
Prior to the vacancy, the fraud unit’s former director, Brendhan Harris, had announced felony indictments in multiple counties across the state in late 2022. These included allegations of false insurance claims exceeding $1,500, which led to charges being filed in Hillsborough, Cheshire, and Sullivan counties.
The director role became vacant following the death of Harris, which the department described involving tragic circumstances. Bettencourt did not provide public details about the incident but said he would discuss it in private with any council member who requested more information.
As a result of that incident, one investigator in the fraud unit has taken a leave of absence. Bettencourt said it remains unclear whether the employee will return to work.
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