The following news release was issued by the Office of Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater December 5, 2011, regarding the appointment of Daniel S. Anderson as director of the Florida Division of Insurance Fraud.

The news release is reprinted below.

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater Appoints Law Enforcement Veteran to Lead the Division of Insurance Fraud

TALLAHASSEE–Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater today announced the appointment of law enforcement veteran and crime fighter Daniel S. Anderson as the new Director of the Division of Insurance Fraud (DIF). Anderson, a 25-year veteran of the Drug Enforcement Administration with extensive experience in global criminal investigations and law enforcement coalition building, will be on the job next month.

“We are pleased to have a professional of Dan’s caliber join our team, and I know he will be a tremendous asset in our continuing fight to crackdown on fraudsters in Florida,” said CFO Atwater. “With auto insurance and workers’ compensation fraud schemes increasing the cost of living for our fellow Floridians, there is no more capable person to confront these challenges head-on, dismantle these schemes and put the criminals behind bars.”

Anderson began his law enforcement career in 1982 as a police officer in Broward County. He joined the Drug Enforcement Administration in 1986 as a Special Agent, where he served until his appointment as Director of DIF. During Anderson’s 25 years with the DEA, he has served in many high-level positions, including Instructor at the DEA Academy educating thousands of law enforcement personnel; Group Supervisor at DEA’s Norfolk, Va., Office; Unit Chief of Operations Management at DEA Headquarters; and, most recently, as the Associate Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s New York Field Division overseeing more than 800 employees.

Anderson will lead the Division of Insurance Fraud, which made nearly 1,000 insurance fraud-related arrests last fiscal year. He will be responsible for supervising 155 sworn law enforcement officers, managers and administrators, and 48 non-sworn civilian support staff members.

Anyone with information regarding suspected insurance fraud is asked to call 1-800-378-0445. Individuals who provide tips can remain anonymous and are eligible for a reward of up to $25,000 for information that directly leads to an arrest and conviction in an insurance fraud scheme. The Department of Financial Services to date has awarded almost $250,000 to approximately 40 citizens as part of its Anti-Fraud Reward Program.