The pleas resolve a case RC first reported in December 2025, when Robert Bentley was arrested following a two-month investigation by the North Carolina Department of Insurance's Criminal Investigations Division and North Carolina Farm Bureau's Special Investigations Unit. Investigators used a bait house to identify roofing workers who allegedly damaged shingles to make the damage appear storm-related and support an insurance claim. 

Authorities previously alleged that Robert Bentley and a co-worker bent and damaged shingles on the Wake County home and attempted to obtain roughly $30,000 from Farm Bureau through a fraudulent wind-and-hail claim. Brett Bentley pleaded guilty to misdemeanor injury to real property and paid $27,678.50 in court-ordered restitution to N.C. Farm Bureau Insurance, along with court costs.

Robert Bentley pleaded guilty to felony injury to real property and attempting to obtain property by false pretenses. He received 24 months of supervised probation and must complete 50 hours of community service within 180 days. Robert Bentley was also ordered to pay court costs, a community service fee and a $50 fine. As part of his sentence, he is prohibited from working in the roofing industry while on probation. His case is scheduled for review Aug. 17, 2027.

"This conviction demonstrates that insurance fraud has real consequences," Causey said. "Roofing scams are serious crimes, and I want to thank Farm Bureau for partnering with our special agents throughout this investigation."

The original investigation involved state insurance fraud investigators working alongside Farm Bureau investigators and using surveillance and an engineering expert to document the alleged roof damage. The sting was designed to identify contractors or salespeople who intentionally damage roofs to generate repair work and insurance claims.