Indiana State Police officer charged with insurance fraud

An Indiana State Police officer was charged with insurance fraud for allegedly failing to report a change in marital status for health insurance benefits.

Police began investigating Lucas P. Zeien, a 37-year-od Evansville resident, in February after receiving an anonymous tip that he and his wife divorced in April 2008, but he never reported the change in marital status or updated his authorized dependents, according to a statement from Indiana State Police.

This allowed for Zeien’s former wife and two children from a previous marriage to continue receiving health insurance under the plan covering ISP personnel, police said.

On Tuesday, Zeien was charged with insurance fraud and placed on administrative leave without pay, police said.

Zeien began working as a state police officer at the Evansville post in July 2007 and was assigned to serve in investigations in August 2015, police said.

He was placed on administrative duties with pay at the Evansville post on Feb. 22 as a result of the allegation and subsequent investigation, police said. Since then, his authority to act as a law enforcement officer has been suspended.

Zeien will now be the subject of an internal investigation, which could result in him being suspended or terminated, police said. He had no previous allegations of misconduct.