Former Rathdrum woman sentenced for insurance fraud

BOISE—A former Rathdrum resident was sentenced to up to four years in prison for insurance fraud.

Nora Washburn, 32, now of Spokane, was sentenced last week by First District Judge Scott Wayman, after a jury convicted her in June.

An investigation determined Washburn purchased auto insurance from Progressive on January 29, 2016, according to the Idaho Attorney General’s Office. Seven days later, Washburn filed a claim for an accident she said occurred Feb. 1, 2016. Investigators discovered the accident actually occurred on Jan. 2, approximately four weeks before the Progressive policy took effect. The crime occurred in Kootenai County.

Washburn was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $4,721, with $3,697 to be paid to Progressive Insurance and $1,024 to the Idaho Department of Insurance. Washburn will also be responsible for paying court costs.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General David Morse of the Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Unit.