Phony salesman charged with forgery - again

PUNTA GORDA — Charlotte County resident William Reese has been charged with felony grand theft and forgery in an unlicensed insurance scam — his second insurance fraud arrest.

Reese, of Punta Gorda, allegedly acted as an unlicensed insurance agent and sold a fake insurance policy to a local restaurant owner, according to a release from the Florida Department of Financial Services. Reese sold the fake policy to Two Brothers Home Style Cooking owner Luis Rivera, authorities contend. Reese claimed he was a licensed insurance agent from New York.

“Reese, however, pocketed the money and because he was not licensed to sell insurance, no valid insurance policy was ever secured,” the release states.