JSMedia – An auto body shop owner has been sentenced for insurance fraud. Andrew Nuss was arrested in Suffolk County, New York, and is now being held without bail. The charges stem from a fraudulent insurance billing practice that took place at the auto repair shop. Although the owners did not submit new damage to the vehicles, they inflated the costs of repairs. The defendants lied about the costs of repairs to increase the cost of insurance claims.
The case was prosecuted by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. It was the result of a crime ring that had been busted by a previous law enforcement agency. The defendants pleaded guilty to insurance fraud charges and were found guilty of staged accidents involving more than one insured vehicle. The defendants stole more than $170,000 from the insurance companies and the state of Massachusetts.
The investigation into the case started when investigators got information from an old crime ring. The police were able to identify a group of seven body shops that were committing insurance fraud. The shop owners, employees and family members were all cooperating with the investigators. The suspects staged collisions and received substantial insurance payouts. Eventually, a motorist with a minor accident was left with significant damage.
Auto Body Shop Owner Sentenced For Insurance Fraud
Two car shop owners pleaded guilty to dozens of counts in a courtroom in Massachusetts. Haddad, an entrepreneur and a convicted auto body shop owner, used a sledgehammer and mallet to further damage a parked Honda vehicle. He was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and ordered to pay more than $170,000 in restitution.
Both of the defendants are linked to Al’s Body Shop in Far Rockaway. Haddad, who is an auto repair shop owner, pleaded guilty to insurance fraud. The prosecutors claimed that Haddad had violated Massachusetts insurance laws. Moreover, the sledgehammer had an unprofessional attitude, causing several cars to be damaged. As a result, a court case was filed against him.
The auto body shop owner has pleaded guilty to insurance fraud. The defendants used sledgehammers to damage cars and cheated the insurance companies for thousands of dollars. The Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor conducted a parallel investigation with the police. After the auto shop owner was found guilty of insurance fraud, he was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in jail and ordered to pay more than $170,000 in restitution.
Jose Cardona, the owner of two collision repair shops in Nassau County, New York, has been sentenced to a prison term of four years. He was arrested with his wife, Veronica, and an employee, Peter Bifolco. The three defendants were subsequently investigated and are expected to be sentenced for the crimes. The conviction is shocking news for the auto repair industry and the insurance industry.