Section 33-59-16. Fraudulent life settlement acts prohibited; criminal and civil penalties; revocation of license

   (a) It is a violation of this chapter for any person, provider, life settlement broker, or any other party related to the business of life settlements to commit a fraudulent life settlement act.

(b) For criminal liability purposes, a person that commits a fraudulent life settlement act shall be guilty of committing insurance fraud and shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than two nor more than ten years, or by a fine of not more than $10,000.00, or both.

(c) The Commissioner shall be empowered to levy a civil penalty:

   (1) Not exceeding $1,000.00 for each and every act in violation of this chapter or, if the person knew or reasonably should have known the acts that he or she committed were in violation of this chapter, the monetary penalty provided for in this subsection may be increased to an amount up to $5,000.00 for each and every act in violation; and

   (2) The amount of the claim for each violation upon any person, including those persons and their employees licensed pursuant to this chapter, who is found to have committed a fraudulent life settlement act or violated any other provision of this chapter.

(d) The license of a person licensed under this chapter that commits a fraudulent life settlement act shall be revoked for a period of at least one year.

Code 1981, § 33-59-16, enacted by Ga. L. 2009, p. 370, § 1/SB 61.