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Man's hole-in-one insurance called bogus

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SEATTLE, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- The Washington state insurance commissioner filed charges against a businessman who allegedly reneged on hole-in-one insurance he provided for golf tournaments.

Kevin Kolenda, 54, of Connecticut was charged this week with five counts of transacting insurance without a license after allegedly failing to pay up when golfers sank a hole in one.

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Big cash prizes for aces are commonplace at corporate and charity golf tournaments, and organizers generally take out an insurance policy that will pay off if someone actually makes a hole in one rather than have to pony up out of their own pockets.

Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler said in a written statement that in three cases since 2004, Kolenda allegedly failed to pay between $10,000 and $50,000 for a hole in one that was made.

Kolenda, who operated at Golf Marketing, also allegedly ignored a previous cease-and-desist order from Kreidler's office, The Seattle Times reported Thursday.

"We've been warning the public about Mr. Kolenda's scam for years," said Kreidler. "He has a long history of selling illegal insurance, refusing to pay prize winners and thumbing his nose at regulators."

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