ATTORNEY GENERAL SUNDAY'S INSURANCE FRAUD SECTION CHARGES YORK COUNTY MAN IN PHONY VEHICLE ACCIDENT REPORTING SCHEME

The following information was released by the office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General:

Attorney General Dave Sunday announced charges against a York County man accused of buying scrapped vehicles at a bargain, insuring them, and reporting accidents that never happened to receive lucrative insurance payouts.

Taofiq Salami, 30, of York Haven, is charged with numerous felonies, including insurance fraud, identity theft, forgery, and title washing, among other related charges.

According to an Office of Attorney General investigation, Salami used false and stolen identities and co-conspirators to purchase and insure the scrapped vehicles. He then reported accidents that didn't happen to obtain more than $180,000 in insurance payouts.

He attempted to employ the scheme on numerous other occasions, with claims totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars more. He ultimately did not receive those payouts.

Salami was arrested and arraigned on the insurance fraud and related charges on Thursday, when he reported to court in Bucks County for an unrelated theft/forgery case. Salami's bail was set at $400,000 with a hearing to ensure the bail is not paid from his alleged criminal proceeds.

"This defendant concocted a criminal scheme and employed it time and time again, stealing identities and defrauding insurance companies," Attorney General Sunday said. "This conduct drives up insurance premiums for law-abiding drivers whose budgets get stretched by increases. Our Insurance Fraud Section unraveled this sophisticated scheme and put an end to it with the filing of very serious charges."

The investigation continues, and others are expected to be charged.

Salami retained the vehicles after receiving the insurance payouts and repeated the scheme multiple times with the same vehicle.

In one alleged incident, Salami purchased a 2013 Jeep Cherokee using a false identity and later fabricated an accident involving a 2019 Toyota Highlander, resulting in an insurance payout of approximately $49,000.

The cases will be prosecuted by the Office of Attorney General's Insurance Fraud Section. Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.