A 36-year-old Jonesboro woman is facing felony charges after investigators alleged she misused customers’ insurance payments for personal expenses while working in Greene County.
Kelsi Mercer was charged with two counts of fraudulent insurance acts, a Class D felony, after District Court Judge Curtis Hitt found probable cause to proceed with the case on September 24. She is being held at the Greene County Detention Center.
According to an affidavit from Dylan Hawkins of the Arkansas Insurance Fraud Investigation Division, Mercer was employed at the Arkansas Farm Bureau’s Greene County branch between April 2023 and her termination in August 2025. Hawkins stated that Mercer collected cash insurance premiums from customers and entered the transactions into the company’s system. However, irregularities surfaced after she was terminated for repeated no-call/no-show absences.
Following her departure, customers reported discrepancies, noting they had received documents stating their insurance premiums were underpaid despite having receipts to show their payments were made in full. A subsequent investigation revealed that Mercer had reversed multiple cash payment transactions shortly after they were made. Although Mercer reapplied some funds to the accounts within weeks, investigators identified at least four transactions where $650.03 in reversed payments was never restored.
When interviewed at her residence, Mercer admitted to diverting the funds. According to Hawkins, she acknowledged using the money to pay personal bills, stating she initially believed she could repay the amounts but was ultimately unable to do so.
Mercer remains in custody as the case progresses.
Anyone with information related to insurance fraud is encouraged to contact the Arkansas Insurance Fraud Investigation Division.