In South Florida, 4 men have been arrested for insurance fraud totaling $145,000. The individuals arrested in this case are being accused of staging crashes and then making fake insurance claims, according to a report filed by the Florida Department of Financial Services Insurance Fraud Division.
Nayef Casas Diaz is one of the four men mentioned in the fraud case. He owns the M & N rehabilitation Center in Miami and is thought to be the mastermind behind the scheme. Nayef Casas Diaz reportedly paid people $1,000 to crash their automobile and then receive rehabilitative care from his clinic. Insurance companies paid out $63,000 to Nayef Casas Diaz. He is currently receiving assistance from a Miami insurance fraud lawyer.
Two other men mentioned in the case are Alex A. Gonzales and Erick A. Perez. These men are accused of encouraging an undercover state insurance fraud agent who was pretending to be a patient to sign a document saying that she had received care for treatment that they did not really receive. The undercover agent was paid $1,000 to sign the fraudulent forms for treatment that led to claims in excess of $11,000.
Vicente Ortiz Alpizar is the fourth man who is being charged in this insurance fraud case. Prosecutors claim that Vicente Ortiz Alpizar staged an accident and then was paid $1,500 to visit selected rehabilitation centers to receive unnecessary treatment. This resulted in fraudulent claims in excess of $70,000.
Fraud is a very serious crime that can lead to imprisonment and fines. In the state of Florida, fraud is defined as conduct or communication that is misleading and that is used to defraud or trick a person into giving up money or property through the use of misrepresentation, exaggeration, false promises, or pretense. Fraud, like that discussed in the above-mentioned case, that involves stolen property has an aggregate value of more than $50,000 is a felony and can lead to a prison sentence of five years or more.
Kenneth P. Hassett is a Fort Lauderdale Fraud Defense Attorney who has more than two decades practicing criminal defense law in Florida. Over the years, he has successfully defended individuals who have been charged with fraud. If you or someone you know is currently facing fraud charges and is looking for competent legal representation, please contact our firm. Let us use our years of experience to help you mount a criminal defense that will protect your rights.
