Thursday, September 7, 2006

Radio host's fraud trial begins

By PAUL SHUKOVSKY
SEATTLE P-I REPORTER

Former KIRO radio personality Mike Webb committed fraud by filing a claim on an insurance policy that "didn't exist" after a minor traffic accident last year, a King County prosecutor said Wednesday.

"This is a story about Mike Webb's attempt to fool" Seattle police, the National Insurance Bureau and Geico Insurance Co., prosecutor Nancy Balin told jurors in her opening statement.

The case stems from an accident June 28, 2005, involving Webb's Lexus in which it was determined that he was not at fault, Balin said.

One day later, Balin said Webb got an Internet quote and bought a Geico insurance policy for $151. On June 30, he sent an e-mail to Geico seeking a copy of his policy that he claimed he had signed up for the day of the accident, she told the jurors.

"The defendant made a claim on a policy that didn't exist," Balin said.

Webb's attorney reserved his opening statement for later in the trial. But Webb later called the allegations "categorically false."

Citing Geico computer records, Balin rebutted Webb's claim that he got the insurance quote in late May and bought a policy at that time. Webb's policy number, she said, is consistent with policies initiated in June, "not in May, and not before this accident."

A document Webb produced showing a May inception date for the policy has Geico's logo in the wrong font, the prosecutor said.

In addition, bank records support the company's assertion that the policy was bought after the accident, she said.

After an investigation, Geico refused to pay the $6,000 damage claim on the Lexus.

"In the end, he didn't fool anybody," Balin said. "And he's not going to fool you," she said, asking the jury to find Webb guilty of filing a fraudulent insurance claim.

KIRO fired Webb after he was charged with the felony. The talk-show host had the station's 9 p.m.-to-1 a.m. slot before losing his job.

Webb said Wednesday that he's still on the air for 25 stations as host of a syndicated talk show.

Seattle blogsite Blatherwatch has long been critical of KIRO, and especially Mike Webb.   And his claim to syndication on 25 stations begged to checked out.

Here is the result:

Webb told (P-I reporter) Shukovksky that "he's still on the air for 25 stations as host of a syndicated talk show."

BlatherWatch has dug for months and has concluded the claim is another Webb whopper. His only "on the air" exposure is a 2-hour live stream from his Web site, on weeknights, He has occasional guests, but no callers.

We've searched all over the country for any AM or FM stations he might be on; looked at program schedules, talked to radio people in markets he's claimed to be heard in- Santa Cruz, CA; New Haven CT; and Boulder CO- nobody's heard of Mike Webb or his show.

Except the live stream on his own site- Webb's alleged shows are invisible on the Web.

If he were on 25 radio stations he'd be highly visible on the Web. He's nowhere.

Webb claims to be syndicated by "Progressive Networks," which, apparently, does not exist- except as a Canadian computer services company that serves the Okanagan Valley.

I don't get the constant barrage of KIRO criticism.  They have a few not bad talkers.  Beats the hell out of the Corus stable.