Ron Wells pleads not guilty to federal charges stemming from insurance claims

Jan. 17--Spokane developer Ron Wells appeared in federal court this week and pleaded not guilty to charges that he was involved in a $6 million scheme to defraud insurance companies through a series of staged collisions.

Wells was indicted on Dec. 19 along with other defendants who are accused of deliberately staging a "series of automobile, boating, stair fall, pedestrian/vehicle and other accidents" in Washington, Idaho, Nevada and California from 2013 to 2018.

In total, the group is alleged to have defrauded insurance companies of more than $6 million and faces charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud and other charges.

Wells' attorney, Kevin Curtis, said in December that Wells "intends to continue fully cooperating with the government."

Curtis appeared with Wells on Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Dimke where Wells entered a "not guilty" plea. Dimke entered release conditions and bound the case over to U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Rice.

The release conditions prohibit Wells from having any contact with his co-defendants or having authority over other peoples' money or finances. He is also barred from filing any insurance claims unless they have to do with his current medical conditions.

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