Covina man suspected of ID theft, grand theft

COVINA -- Authorities Thursday announced the arrest of a Covina man suspected of stealing a former employee's identity in order to sell life insurance policies and collect the commissions.
James Morris, 66, was arrested about 9 a.m. Wednesday at his Covina home and booked on suspicion of eight counts of identity theft and six counts of grand theft, according to California Department of Insurance officials and sheriff's booking records.
Morris is suspected of stealing a former employee's identity and using it to submit 15 applications for life insurance policies between April and November of 2007, CDI officials said in a written statement.
He lost his own insurance license in 2003 after similar fraud violations similar to those he's now accused of, officials said.
Morris allegedly collected nearly $8,500 in commissions from the sales, according to the statement.
The commission payments were made in the former employee's name, but sent to a bank account controlled by Morris, officials said.
Authorities said they learned of the alleged scheme after the insurance company notified the former employee that he owed them money for commissions paid on fraudulent policies.
According to court records, Morris was released on his own recognizance the day after his arrest.