Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BONNEY J. HEBERT, 60, of Killington, Vermont, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello in Hartford to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for stealing more than $10 million from Hartford-based Aetna Life Insurance Company.

According to court documents and statements made in court, HEBERT was the sole owner and president of Academic Risk Resources and Insurance, LLC (“ARRI”), a risk management and insurance brokerage agency based in Boston. ARRI’s business included brokering insurance contracts between health insurance providers and colleges or universities in order to provide health insurance for students and other individuals affiliated with the college or university. In July 2007, HEBERT and ARRI began serving as the broker for a student health insurance contract entered into between Aetna and Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. The contract between Aetna and Rutgers provided that premiums would be paid by Rutgers to ARRI and then transmitted by ARRI to Aetna.

Between 2009 and 2012, HEBERT failed to pass along to Aetna $10,358,728 in premiums paid by Rutgers. She used the stolen funds on personal expenses and to cover the business expenses of ARRI.

On June 2, 2015, HEBERT pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity.

HEBERT disclosed her fraudulent scheme to Aetna representatives in June 2012. She subsequently sold ARRI to another business and directed that payments related to the sale be made directly to Aetna. Through these payments, HEBERT has repaid Aetna approximately $1.59 million. HEBERT also has not collected more than $900,000 in commissions owed to her by Aetna. As a result, HEBERT currently owes Aetna $7,846,305.45 in restitution.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi M. Perry.