Six people, including a husband and wife and two brothers, were arrested in what the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office is calling the first of many operations targeting insurance fraud.
Authorities said the group staged a car crash as part of a scheme to collect tens of thousands of dollars from an insurance company.
Staged crash sparked investigation
According to investigators, the scheme began with a staged collision on Krome Avenue and Southwest Eighth Street last November.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said brothers Armando and Elvis Mesa-Lasaga conspired to orchestrate the crash, then recruited Enrique and Mary Brioso to act as victims in the second vehicle.
The arrest affidavit states the brothers intentionally damaged the vehicles before the collision. After the staged crash, Armando Mesa-Lasaga took Brioso to his auto repair shop, located at a plaza on Southwest 190th Street, and caused further damage to the vehicle.
“They all knew each other. They were in partnership with each other,” said Angel Rodriguez, public information officer for the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
Fraudulent claims and fake therapy forms
Investigators say the Briosos were then introduced to staff at SafeCare Therapy Inc., identified as Rolando Romero and Sergio Fernandez-Alfonso. The couple visited the clinic only once, signed blank therapy forms, and left.
“These forged blank forms would then be filled out with some sort of a claim,” Rodriguez said.
The fraudulent claim submitted totaled $37,050. The insurance company flagged the suspicious activity and contacted deputies.
“These fraudulent claims result in insurance policies and premiums going up. It also affects different services provided to the community because their rates will also go up,” Rodriguez said.
Charges filed against all six
All six individuals, five men and one woman, now face multiple charges, including insurance fraud and grand theft.
In addition, Armando Mesa-Lasaga was charged with operating a chop shop after investigators found rebuilt vehicles at his auto body business.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said this is only the beginning of a broader crackdown on insurance fraud in the county.
