John Michael St. Clair, of Renton, has been added to Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s insurance fraud most wanted list after being charged with insurance fraud.

The insurance commissioner is asking anyone who has information that may lead to his arrest, to please contact local law enforcement or contact Kreidler’s Criminal Investigations Unit (CIU).

The King County Prosecutor’s Office charged St. Clair with false claims or proof and issued a warrant for his arrest, due to additional warrants and his history of failing to appear for court hearings.

CIU’s investigation asserts that St. Clair traded in a 2018 Audi and a 2019 Audi to purchase an Audi S8 in April 2021. Unbeknownst to the dealer, St. Clair allegedly had an outstanding lien against one of the vehicles and the dealership paid $14,468 to satisfy the lien.

The dealership informed St. Clair that, due to the lien, he needed to return the vehicle.

St. Clair allegedly did not comply and the Audi was subsequently repossessed, with help from Renton police and with St. Clair’s knowledge.

The next day, St. Clair filed a stolen vehicle report with the Seattle Police Department and a claim with GEICO stating his vehicle had been stolen.

He reportedly attempted to have GEICO pay $129,500 for the value of the vehicle.

GEICO performed its own investigation and discovered that the vehicle was never stolen, but was repossessed. The company denied the claim and referred it to CIU, as required by state law. CIU’s own investigation confirmed those findings and the case was referred to the King County Prosecutor’s Office.

CIU investigates insurance fraud and works with allied law enforcement agencies and state and local prosecutors on criminal cases.

According to the insurance commissioner’s office, insurance fraud costs the average family $400 to $700 per year in increased premiums.