Fla. Man Accused Of Staged Crashes

Sept. 26--Something about two car crashes didn't add up when investigators discovered more than $200,000 in insurance claims for crashes without any injuries, according to a Florida Division of Insurance Fraud arrest report.

The suspicious circumstances led to the arrest of Jonathan Gualberto, 24, by Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputies on Tuesday. Insurance Fraud detectives say he staged the crashes, with the first one playing out in Boca Raton on Oct. 22, 2009.

Detectives said that crash happened when Gualberto gave his car to another man, who then hit another car with two acquaintances of Gualberto. Investigators say another three people, including Gualberto, were in his car.

But when Boca Raton police responded, no one reported any injuries.

The half-dozen people then headed to two clinics, both of which had ties to an organized staged-accident ring, investigators said.

The fake crash left four insurance companies paying out $127,739 for medical treatment, bodily injury, property damage and attorney fees, according to the report.

Investigators said the second crash happened a month later, this time in Delray Beach when a woman loaded up her car with her boyfriend, her sister and another woman while a man in a car rented by Gualberto rear-ended their car.

Delray Beach police said there were no injuries reported in the crash, but that didn't stop the group from filing four insurance claims for $78,191, according to the report.

Investigators interviewed one of the women who said she barely knew the others and was just getting a ride to a party and that she didn't know about the planned accident. They also say signatures on clinic billing forms appeared to be forged.

It's unclear if any of the other people suspected of participating in the fraud were arrested.

Gualberto's driving record shows five speeding tickets with his latest for going 91 in a 45 mph zone in July 2012.

Gualberto faces two fraud charges. He was booked into Palm Beach County Jail on Tuesday and released the next day on $15,000 bail.

Staff researcher Barbara Hijek contributed to this report.

[email protected], 561-243-6607 or Twitter and Instagram @adamsacasa

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