Illinois regulators have revoked the license of an agent and his agency for failing to remit thousands of dollars in premiums from customers to insurance companies over the last two years.

Earl D. Bertsche of Pontiac, Ill., and his agency, Bertsche and Berry Inc., must also pay a $100,000 civil penalty, according to the Illinois Department of Insurance.

In addition to withholding premiums, a department investigation revealed that Bertsche and his agency issued fraudulent certificates of insurance and defaulted on a promissory note to an insurer representing a premium of more than $334,000.

The investigation found that in 2007, Bertsche and his agency led an Illinois consumer to believe that its premiums of $75,000 were placed through two separate insurers for the 2007 and 2008 policy years, but neither ever received the payments. Bertsche later admitted to never sending them.

In 2008, Bertsche brokered a policy worth more than $114,000 in premiums, but failed to pay more than $61,000 of premiums due to another producer.

He also is accused of issuing four fraudulent certificates purporting to represent commercial property insurance for three consumers in the state, totaling nearly $115,000. None of the certificates are valid, however, because Bertsche never provided the premiums to the insurer.

Regarding the promissory note to an insurer, Bertsche is alleged to have paid only $155,000 of the $334,000 for unpaid premiums.

Bertsche and his agency can request a hearing on the charges.