Calif. Auto Body Shop Owner Sentenced In Insurance Fraud Case

July 16--A former Vallejo auto body shop owner has been sentenced to 30 days' home detention for ripping off his customers in an insurance fraud case, prosecutors announced Wednesday.

Armand Eulano, 45, also was ordered to pay about $40,000 in restitution to Farmers Insurance. He was sentenced in Solano County Superior Court on July 10 following his earlier no contest pleas to three felony counts of auto insurance fraud.

Eulano formerly co-owned and operated G Collision at 850 Redwood St., which has since gone out of business.

According to the District Attorney's Office, the case originated when investigators from the Farmers Insurance Special Investigation Unit performed a random re-inspection of a vehicle that was serviced at the business. The inspection revealed that an auto part only had been repaired, even though Farmers had paid G Collision for a new replacement part, Deputy District Attorney Judy Ycasas said.

An additional discrepancy was discovered regarding the painting of the rear bumper, she added.

Subsequently, Farmers conducted a random re-inspection of eleven other vehicles it had recently paid G Collision to repair and found there were similar deviations from agreed-upon repairs on all of them. Many of the damaged vehicles were simply patched with filler material, such as Bondo, and painted, rather than fitted with new replacement parts as specified and paid for by the insurance company.

The California Department of Insurance investigated the case and interviewed the vehicles' owners, also victims of G Collision's fraud, and all identified Eulano as the person who handled their claims, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors filed a criminal complaint in October, charging Eulano with insurance fraud and grand theft against Farmers Insurance.

As part of a plea agreement, Eulano also has been placed on formal probation.

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