SPOKANE, Wash.- Eleven people from Washington and California have pleaded guilty to a staged auto accident ring to defraud insurance companies.
The members of the staged accident ring, which included eight people from the Tri-Cities, pleaded guilty to several charges, including conspiracy to commit mail and health care fraud, conspiracy to obstruct official proceedings, making false statements to the FBI according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
According to court documents the auto accident ring operated from 2017 to 2020. Members of the ring reportedly staged accidents and submitted false insurance claims for property damage, wage loss and personal injury.
“Staged accidents make our streets dangerous and distract police from responding to legitimate distress calls,” said Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. “Moreover, efforts to hinder federal criminal proceedings will not be tolerated.”
According to today’s press release an investigation into the staged accident ring by the FBI, Health and Human Servicees, the IRS and the National Insurance Crime Bureau found that $657,812 was collected in fraudulent insurance claims and settlement payments.
Eleven charged for staged accident ring:
Ali Abed Yaser, age 52 of Kennewick, WashingtonHussein A. Yasir, age 41 of Kennewick, WashingtonMaria Elena Sanchez, age 42 of Kennewick, Washington Jesus George Sanchez, age 57 of Pasco, WashingtonAli F. Al-Himrani, age 41 of Temecula, CaliforniaMohammed F. Al-Himrani, age 34 of Kennewick, WashingtonKhalil Abdul-Razaq, age 40 of Kennewick, WashingtonAmeer R. Mohammed, age 46 of Kennewick, WashingtonSinan Akrawi, age 44 of La Mesa, CaliforniaMohammed Naji Al-Jibory, age 55 of Kennewick, WashingtonNoor Tahseen Al-Maarej, age 33 of El Cajon, California
