Former St. Louis Alderman Sentenced to 16 Months for Insurance Fraud and Lying to FBI

Brandon Bosley, once a St. Louis alderman, now faces 16 months behind bars after a federal jury convicted him of insurance fraud and making false statements to the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office revealed that Bosley engineered a scheme to defraud an insurance company by inflating the cost of repairs following a 2021 accident involving his Toyota Prius.

Evidence presented at trial showed Bosley instructed the auto repair shop owner—who had sold him the car for $500—to submit inflated repair estimates as part of a bribe. The first estimate was $6,800, later revised to $4,333, while the insurance company ultimately totaled the vehicle and paid Bosley nearly $8,000. Prosecutors highlighted that Bosley had only $14.93 in his bank account at the time and lived off the insurance payout for about six weeks.

Adding insult to injury, Bosley repeatedly lied to FBI agents in March 2023, denying any involvement in inflating repair bills or directing the repair shop owner. The Missouri Ethics Commission also found that during this period, Bosley failed to properly report hundreds of dollars in improper personal expenses from his campaign accounts, including gas and groceries.

Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division condemned Bosley’s actions: “A federal jury unanimously agreed the evidence proved Brandon Bosley committed fraud. He initiated the scheme to bilk his auto insurance company. He directed the auto shop owner to inflate the cost to repair his car. In addition, Bosley used his position and made it clear to the insurance company that he is an elected official.”

Bosley was ordered to repay $6,253.90 to the defrauded insurance company. His conviction and sentencing underscore a pattern of corruption and abuse of power that erodes public trust in elected officials. This case is a stark reminder that no one is above the law—even those who claim to serve the public.