R.I. grand jury indicts Beacon Mutual exec

PROVIDENCE, R.I.--A state grand jury has indicted David R. Clark, a former vp of loss prevention and underwriting for Beacon Mutual Insurance Co., according to Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch.

Rhode Island Gov. Donald L. Carcieri, who pushed for a change of leadership at the state's largest workers compensation insurer, called the indictment, announced Wednesday, "an important step in cleaning up the mismanagement and the misdeeds that have plagued Beacon Mutual."

An audit report released in April found several problems at Beacon, including a business owned by a board member that misclassified its payroll and therefore received preferential pricing for its insurance despite an unfavorable loss history.

The charges against Mr. Clark include insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud and intentionally accessing a computer to alter or destroy data, the attorney general said in a prepared statement.

Beacon, created by state legislators in 1991, provides about 90% of workers comp coverage in Rhode Island.