A Faith woman who was reported missing and subsequently found a year ago is now the subject of an embezzlement investigation with the state department of insurance.
In September 2012, the family of Gina Peeler Wagner reported her missing and she was found a few weeks later.
Wagner, 45, was charged a week ago with felony embezzlement and she remains in the Rowan County jail under a $150,000 secured bond. She was arrested in Durham County.
Wagner was an insurance agent with Peeler Insurance Agency in Faith.
According to spokesman Todd Taylor of the Granite Quarry-Faith Joint Police Authority, the investigation has been turned over to the N.C. Department of Insurance. Taylor said the police authority assisted in the investigation.
Multiple phone calls to the N.C. Department of Insurance have not been returned. However, a press release said Wagner received insurance premium payments totaling $10,000 from 30 people, but did not apply the funds to their accounts.
Investigators with the department of insurance accuse Wagner of keeping the money for her own personal use. The press release did not say how Wagner spent the money.
Taylor could not say with certainty Wagner’s embezzlement charges were related to her being missing.
A Rowan County Grand Jury indicted Wagner in early August. The indictment said Wagner did “fraudulently withhold, appropriate, lend, invest, and otherwise use and apply” $3,217.62 that was received by her as an agent.
The embezzlement went on for more than a year, the indictment says, from Jan. 3, 2011 to Aug. 8, 2012.
Contact reporter Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253. Twitter: www.twitter.com/salpostpotts Facebook: www.facebook.com/Shavonne.SalisburyPost.