12 charged in Pa. auto insurance scam [The Philadelphia Inquirer]

April 12--An insurance agent from South Jersey and 11 other people have been charged with providing Pennyslvania vehicle registration and cheaper insurance to thousands of out-of-state owners, officials said today.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly described Clifford McCoy, 62, Marlton, as the ringleader of a network that used various schemes to fraudulently obtain the registations.

The charges against McCoy, owner of two Philadelphia insurance agencies, Aarow Insurance and A-Mobile, and his codefendants grew out of a grand jury investigation.

Kelly said the organization earned an estimated $500,000 through the scam and that it cost the insurance industry millions of dollars in claims.

McCoy is charged with one count each of corrupt organizations, theft by deception, tampering with records or identification, deceptive or fraudulent business practices, insurance fraud, false swearing and unsworn falsification to authorities.

Also charged are:

- Ahmed Ahmed, 37, 1730 Begen St., Philadelphia.

- James Bernier, 40, 7002 Souder St., Philadelphia.

- Paula Caceres, 30, 3256 Comley Road, Philadelphia.

- Norma Nay, also known as, Norma Nay-Acosta, 36, 3028 Ormes St., Philadelphia.

- Luis Pena, 65, 6237 N. 5thSt., Philadelphia.

- Carlos Rexach, 55, 511 W. Girard Ave., Philadelphia.

- Estaban Rojas, 66, 541 W. Butler St., Philadelphia.

- Celenia Torres, 46, 6651 Large St., Philadelphia.

- David Vega, 44, 3429 Parkside Ave., Huntingdon Valley.

- Christina Wilson, 33, 405 Washington Ave., Philadelphia.

- Charles Yockers, 47, 1827 Route 315, Pittston.

The following is a list of the companies involved in the alleged scam:

- Aarow Insurance Agency, 3901 N. 5thSt., Philadelphia.

- A-Mobile Insurance Agency, 3901 N. 5thSt., Philadelphia.

- Chrismar & Associates, 3901 N. 5thSt., Phladelphia.

- Empire Service Center, Inc., 6412 Rising Sun Ave., Philadelphia.

Fifth Street Agency, 5728 North 5thSt., Philadelphia

- Latinos Auto Tags Inc., 4953 N. 5thSt., Philadelphia.

- Lumar Inc./Lumar Auto Tags, 1202 N. 5thSt., Philadelphia.

- M-9 Multi-Services Inc., 4315 N. 5thSt., Philadelphia.

- Nay's Auto Tags, 4200 North Fairhill St., Philadelphia.

- One-Stop Multi Services, Inc., 8102 Bustleton Ave., Philadelphia.

- Carlos Rexach Agency, 2932 North 5th St., Philadelphia.

- Title Mobile & Transfer Co., Inc., 6412 Rising Sun Ave., Philadelphia.

- USA Sales and Service Co., 1827 Highway 315, Pittston, Luzerne County.

- Vega Financial Group, LLC, 4200 N. American St., Philadelphia.

- Ysi Lou Auto Tags, 999 Anchor St., Philadelphia.

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