Jim Beck (politician)
{{Short description|American politician (born 1961)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Jim Beck
|image = Jim C. Beck 1 .jpg
|office = Insurance Commissioner of Georgia
|governor = Brian Kemp
|term_start = January 14, 2019
|term_end = July 22, 2021
Suspended: May 16, 2019 – July 22, 2021
|predecessor = Ralph Hudgens
|successor = John King
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|9|29}}
|birth_place = Douglasville, Georgia, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Republican
|spouse = Lucy Beck
|education = University of West Georgia (BA)
}}
Jim C. Beck (born September 1961) is an American politician who formerly served as the Insurance Commissioner of Georgia.{{cite web |url=http://www.georgiahealthnews.com/2018/11/beck-elected-georgia-insurance-commissioner/ |title= Beck apparent winner for state insurance post| last=Miller|first=Andy |date= November 7, 2018|website=georgiahealthnews.com |publisher= |access-date= |quote=}}
Beck previously served as the Deputy Insurance Commissioner of Georgia to former Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine.
In August 2017, Beck announced he would run to replace Ralph Hudgens as the Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner of Georgia.{{cite web |url=http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southeast/2017/08/09/460591.htmx |title= Former Georgia Deputy Insurance Commissioner Beck to Seek State's Top Insurance Post| last= |first= |date= 2017-10-17|website=www.insurancejournal.com |publisher= |access-date= |quote=}}
He was suspended by Governor Brian Kemp in 2019 pending an investigation into allegations of illegal activity committed prior to his taking office.{{Cite web|last=Russell|first=Dale|date=2019-11-26|title=Former Insurance employees sue indicted and suspended Insurance Commissioner Jim Beck|url=https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/former-insurance-employees-sue-indicted-and-suspended-insurance-commissioner-jim-beck|access-date=2021-02-16|website=FOX 5 Atlanta|language=en-US}} Beck was convicted of 37 counts of fraud and money laundering on July 22, 2021, which triggered his full, immediate removal from office. He was succeeded officially by John King, whom Kemp appointed on an interim basis in 2019 pending the outcome of Beck's investigation.[https://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-news/jurors-convict-former-georgia-insurance-chief-in-2m-fraud/ODUP5QJBKVDZZOG2BLOD7Z63MM/ Jurors convict former Georgia insurance chief in $2.5M fraud] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723124824/https://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-news/jurors-convict-former-georgia-insurance-chief-in-2m-fraud/ODUP5QJBKVDZZOG2BLOD7Z63MM/|date=July 23, 2021}}
Early life
Jim Beck was born in Douglasville, Georgia. He graduated from the University of West Georgia with a bachelor of arts degree in marketing.
Political career
Beck's first role in public service was as Deputy Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner for the State of Georgia. Later he served as the Chief of Staff for Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens. In August 2017 Beck announced his candidacy for the office of Insurance Commissioner in Georgia in 2018.
On May 14, 2019, while Insurance Commissioner, a federal grand jury [https://media.bizj.us/view/img/11317109/beck-ind.pdf indicted] Beck for fraud, as he was alleged to have embezzled more than $2 million from the Georgia Underwriting Association from February 2013 through August 2018. Beck was elected Commissioner in 2018, after previously serving as general manager of operations for the Georgia Underwriting Association. His trial was set to begin July 12, 2021.{{cite news |last1=Salzer |first1=James |title=Suspended Ga. Insurance Commissioner Beck to go on trial in theft case |url=https://www.ajc.com/politics/suspended-ga-insurance-commissioner-beck-to-go-on-trial-in-theft-case/R24IXLSTZVDVDPYT6TNF2GFKSQ/ |access-date=12 July 2021 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=July 11, 2021}}
On May 16, 2019, Governor Brian Kemp issued an executive order suspending Beck from office at Beck’s request pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2019/05/16/insurance-commissioner-jim-beck-suspended.html|title=Insurance Commissioner Jim Beck suspended after fraud indictment|website=www.bizjournals.com|access-date=2019-05-18}} The state spent about $200,000 a year on Beck’s salary and benefits while he was suspended. He was convicted on 37 counts of fraud and money laundering on July 22, 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/atlanta/former-insurance-commissioner-jim-beck-guilty-37-counts-wire-fraud/LDD6AVRPVBAZZM4HXAWTOGPHXY/|title = Former insurance commissioner Jim Beck guilty on 37 counts of fraud, money laundering|date = 22 July 2021}} On October 12, 2021, he was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison for fraud and money laundering.{{Cite web|url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2021/12/02/2-5m-theft-scheme-georgia-ex-official-begins-prison-term/|title= $2.5M theft scheme: Georgia ex-official begins prison term|website=Citynews|date=December 2, 2021|access-date=August 6, 2024}} After a court hearing on October 16, 2023, federal judge Mark Cohen reduced his sentence by nine months to six years and six months. This was not for good behavior but because he had no prior criminal history. While his sentence was reduced, he still owes millions of dollars in restitution.{{Cite web|url=https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southeast/2023/10/17/744597.htm|title=Former Georgia Insurance Commissioner’s Sentenced Reduced, Due to Guidelines|website=Insurance Journal|date=October 17, 2023|access-date=April 10, 2025}} He is expected to be released in April 2028.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=Ralph Hudgens}}
{{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Insurance Commissioner of Georgia|years=2018}}
{{s-aft|after=John F. King}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Ralph Hudgens}}
{{s-ttl|title=Insurance Commissioner of Georgia|years=2019–2021
{{small|Suspended: 2019–2021}}}}
{{s-aft|after=John King}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beck, Jim}}
Category:21st-century Georgia (U.S. state) politicians
Category:American people convicted of money laundering
Category:American politicians convicted of fraud
Category:Georgia (U.S. state) politicians convicted of crimes
Category:Georgia (U.S. state) Republicans
Category:State insurance commissioners of the United States
Category:People from Douglasville, Georgia