Petitioner: DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES
Respondent: LEONARD FELDMAN
Judges: LISA SHEARER NELSON
Agency: Department of Financial Services
Locations: Jacksonville, Florida
Filed: Apr. 14, 2009
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Monday, June 8, 2009.
Latest Update: Dec. 25, 2024
FILED
_..., ALEX SINK MAR 13 2009
3 CGHERF FINANCIAL OFFICER
R{ST RASPVEEOF FLORIDA
RING O4-184UPL Docketed by_ ND
IN THE MATTER OF:
CASE NO.: 102477-09-AG
LEONARD FELDMAN
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ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
TO: LEONARD FELDMAN
1862 Northwest 97" Avenue
Plantation, Florida 33322-5666
You, LEONARD FELDMAN, license I.D. #4082139, are hereby notified that the Chief
Financial Officer of the State of Florida has caused to be made an investigation of your activities
while licensed as an insurance agent in this state, as a result of which it is alleged:
GENERAL ALLEGATIONS
1. Pursuant to Chapter 626, Florida Statutes, you, LEONARD FELDMAN, are
currently licensed in this state as a life, health and variable annuity agent; a life agent; a life and
health agent; a general lines agent; and a health agent.
2. At all times pertinent to the dates and occurrences referred to herein, you,
LEONARD FELDMAN, were licensed in this state as a life, health and variable annuity agent; a
life agent; a life and health agent; a general lines agent; and a health agent.
3. Pursuant to Chapter 626, Florida Statutes, the Florida Department of Financial
Services has jurisdiction over your insurance licenses and appointments.
4. At all times material herein, you, LEONARD FELDMAN, as a licensed insurance
agent, working by, through, and with Leonard Feldman Insurance Agency Inc. knowingly,
falsely and fraudulently issued workers’ compensation insurance certificates to a company
known as Anago of Jacksonville and its franchisees, all as will hereinafter be more fully set
forth.
COUNT I
5. The above general allegations are hereby realleged and fully incorporated herein
by reference.
6. During the period 2003 through 2006, you, LEONARD FELDMAN, working by,
through, and with Leonard Feldman Insurance Agency, Inc., knowingly issued false and
fraudulent workers’ compensation insurance certificates to a company known as Anago of
Jacksonville and its franchisees, reflecting Harbor Specialty Insurance Company as the insurer
under policy # 099-5654203. Among the franchisees of Anago of Jacksonville to whom further
false and fraudulent workers’ compensation insurance certificate were issued were: Sentury
Management Inc.; City of Atlantic Beach; Riverside Park Apartments & SFM Inc.; Smurfit
Stone Container Corp. Inc.; Infinity Design Building Inc.; City of Jacksonville Beach; Anago
Franchises Inc.; Total Office Solutions; Main Recycling Company Inc.; and Corporate Services
Group.
IT IS THEREFORE CHARGED that you, LEONARD FELDMAN, have violated or are
accountable under the following provisions of the Florida Insurance Code and Rules of the
Department of Financial Services which constitute grounds for the suspension or revocation of
your licenses and appointments:
(a) Willful misrepresentation of any insurance policy or annuity contract or
willful deception with regard to any such policy or contract, done either in person or by any form
of dissemination of information or advertising. [Section 626.61 1(5), Florida Statutes]; _
(b) Demonstrated lack of fitness or trustworthiness to engage in the business
of insurance. [Section 626.61 1(7), Florida Statutes]; .
(c) Fraudulent or dishonest practices in the conduct of business under the
license or appointment. [Section 626.61 1(9), Florida Statutes];
(d) If the license is used, or to be used, to circumvent any of the requirements
or prohibitions of this code. [Section 626.6215(2), Florida Statutes];
(e) Misrepresentation of any insurance policy or annuity contract, or
deception with regard to any such policy or contract, done either in person or by any form of
dissemination of information or advertising. [Section 626.6215(5)(c), Florida Statutes];
(f) Violation of any provision of this code or of any other law applicable to
the business of insurance in the course of dealing under the license. [Section 626.6215(5)(d),
Florida Statutes];
(g) In the conduct of business under the license, engaging in unfair methods
of competition or in unfair or deceptive acts or practices as prohibited under part IX of this
chapter. [Section 626.62 15(5)(h), Florida Statutes];
(h) Fraudulent or dishonest practices in the conduct of business arising out of
activities related to insurance or the insurance agency. [Section 626.6215(5)(j), Florida Statutes];
(i) Demonstrated lack of fitness or trustworthiness to engage in the business
of insurance arising out of activities related to insurance or the insurance agency. [Section
626.6215(5)(k), Florida Statutes];
(j) No person shall engage in this state in any trade practice which is defined
in this part as, or determined pursuant to s. 626.951 or s. 626.9561 to be, an unfair method of
competition or an unfair or deceptive act or practice involving the business of insurance. [Section
626.9521(1), Florida Statutes];
(k) _ Misrepresentations and false advertising of insurance policies. Knowingly
making, issuing, circulating, or causing to be made, issued, or circulated, any estimate,
illustration, circular, statement, sales presentation, omission. [Section 626.9521(1)(a), Florida
Statutes]; .
r¢)) Knowingly making any false statements and entries causing directly or
indirectly, to be made, published, disseminated, circulated, deliver to any person, or placed
before the public. [Section 626.9541(1)(e)e., Florida Statutes].
WHEREFORE, you, LEONARD FELDMAN, are hereby notified that the Chief
Financial Officer intends to enter an Order suspending or revoking your licenses and
appointments as an insurance agent or to impose such penalties as may be provided under the
provisions of Sections 626.611, 626.621, 626.681, 626.691, and 626.9521, Florida Statutes, and
under the other referenced Sections of the Florida Statutes as set out in this Administrative
Complaint.
NOTICE OF RIGHTS
You have the right to request a proceeding to contest this action by the Department of
Financial Services ("Department") pursuant to Sections 120.569 and 120.57, Florida Statutes,
and Rule 28-106, Florida Administrative Code. The proceeding request must be in writing,
signed by you, and must be filed with the Department within twenty-one (21) days of your
receipt of this notice. Completion of the attached Election of Proceeding form and/or a petition
for administrative hearing will suffice as a written request. The request must be filed with the
General Counsel acting as Agency Clerk, at the Florida Department of Financial Services, 612
Larson Building, 200 East Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0333. Your written
response must be received by the Department no later than 5:00 p.m. on the twenty-first day after
your receipt of this notice. Mailing the response on the twenty-first day will not preserve your
right to a hearing.
YOUR FAILURE TO RESPOND IN WRITING WITHIN
TWENTY-ONE (21) DAYS OF YOUR RECEIPT OF THIS
NOTICE WILL CONSTITUTE A WAIVER OF YOUR
RIGHT TO REQUEST A PROCEEDING ON THE
MATTERS ALLEGED HEREIN AND AN ORDER OF
SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION WILL BE ENTERED
AGAINST YOU.
If you request a proceeding, you must provide information that complies with the
requirements of Rule 28-106.2015, Florida Administrative Code. As noted above, completion of
the attached Election of Proceeding form conforms to these requirements. Specifically, your
response must contain:
(a) The name, address, and telephone number, and facsimile number (if any) of the
respondent (for the purpose of requesting a hearing in this matter, you are the "respondent").
(b) The name, address, telephone number, facsimile number of the attorney or
qualified representative of the respondent (if any) upon whom service of pleadings and other
papers shall be made.
(c) A statement requesting an administrative hearing identifying those material facts
that are in dispute. If there are none, the petition must so indicate.
(d) A statement of when the respondent received notice of the administrative
complaint.
(e) A statement including the file number to the administrative complaint.
If a hearing of any type is requested, you have the right to be represented by counsel or
other qualified representative at your expense, to present evidence and argument, to call and
cross-examine witnesses, and to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of
documents by subpoena.
If a proceeding is requested and there is no dispute of material fact, the provisions of
Section 120.57(2), Florida Statutes, apply. In this regard, you may submit oral or written
evidence in opposition to the action taken by the Department or a written statement challenging
the grounds upon which the Department has relied. While a hearing is normally not required in
the absence of a dispute of fact, if you feel that a hearing is necessary, one will be conducted in
Tallahassee, Florida, or by telephonic conference call upon your request.
However, if you dispute material facts which are the basis for the Department’s action,
you must request an adversarial proceeding pursuant to Sections 120.569 and 120.57(1), Florida
Statutes. These proceedings are held before a State Administrative Law Judge of the Division of
Administrative Hearings. Unless the majority of witnesses are located elsewhere, the
Department will request that the hearing be conducted in Tallahassee, Florida.
Failure to follow the procedure outlined with regard to your response to this notice may
result in the request being denied. All prior oral communication or correspondence in this matter
shall be considered freeform agency action, and no such oral communication or correspondence
shall operate as a valid request for an administrative proceeding. Any request for an
administrative proceeding received prior to the date of this notice shall be deemed abandoned
unless timely renewed in compliance with the guidelines as set out above.
Mediation of this matter pursuant to Section 120.573, Florida Statutes, is not available.
No Department attorney will discuss this matter with you until the response has been received by
the Department.
DATED and SIGNED this | ath day of I Y nen, , 2009.
2 TAMMY TES 7
Deputy Chief Financial Officer
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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I HEREBY CERTIFY that a true and correct copy of the foregoing ADMINISTRATIVE
COMPLAINT and ELECTION OF PROCEEDING has been furnished to: LEONARD
FELDMAN, 1862 Northwest 97" Avenue, Plantation, Florida, 33322-5666; by Certified Mail
this _) Bday of __ fAan ce , 2009.
Dean Andrews
Division of Legal Services
200 East Gaines St.
612 Larson Building
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-033
(850) 413-4242
Florida Bar Number 0001959
Docket for Case No: 09-001844PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Jun. 08, 2009 |
Order Closing File. CASE CLOSED.
|
Jun. 03, 2009 |
Motion to Relinquish Jurisdiction and Close File filed.
|
May 05, 2009 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
|
May 05, 2009 |
Notice of Hearing by Video Teleconference (hearing set for June 22, 2009; 9:30 a.m.; Jacksonville and Tallahassee, FL).
|
Apr. 21, 2009 |
Petitioner's Response to Initial Order filed.
|
Apr. 14, 2009 |
Initial Order.
|
Apr. 14, 2009 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
|
Apr. 14, 2009 |
Election of Proceeding filed.
|
Apr. 14, 2009 |
Agency referral
|