Former health insurance agent sentenced to jail for stealing nearly $500K from the City of Montgomery
A former health insurance agent who pleaded guilty of stealing nearly a million dollars from the City of Montgomery will spend a year behind bars.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall tells Action 8 News that Kelli Sayers Burt, a former employee of Alliance Insurance Group, was sentenced to serve one year in jail.
A Montgomery County grand jury returned an indictment in April of 2024 charging Burt with one count of theft in the first degree for stealing from the City of Montgomery. She pleaded guilty in Circuit Court on May 20. On July 9, Judge Greg Griffin sentenced Burt to two years in the county jail, split to serve one year day for day.
Officials say Burt was assigned to handle the health insurance claims for the City of Montgomery’s employees. Between 2017 and 2024, she used the identities of city employees more than 330 times to divert insurance reimbursements into her own bank account. The result of her crime resulted in a loss of more than $465,000.
“Stealing from a city, a community, deprives citizens of having their own taxpayer dollars put to good use,” Attorney General Steve Marshall said. “Make no mistake, this was not a victimless crime, and I am pleased with the strong message sent by the court.”
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed released a statement following the sentencing.
“Kelli Sayers Burt’s theft from our city is deeply troubling. I want to thank Attorney General Steve Marshall, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, and Assistant Attorney General Alana K. Cammack for their diligent work in bringing Ms. Burt to justice,” said Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed.
In addition to Burt’s jail time, she is required to pay $514,741 in restitution to her former employer and the employer’s insurer once she is released.
