Crime & Safety

Brentwood Man Charged With Auto Insurance Fraud: AG

The 27-year-old filed a claim on the same damage twice in 2016, the attorney general said.

A Brentwood man was among five people arrested for auto insurance schemes across New York, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced on Wednesday.

Victor Carrasquillo, 27, filed a claim on April 3, 2016 for damage to the rear passenger side of his car, then withdrew the claim after learning that his deductible was $2,500, the attorney general said.

Four days later he lowered his deductible to $500 and on May 10, 2016 filed a claim for the same damage, falsely claiming that the damage had occurred on April 22, 2016, the attorney general said.

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Carrasquillo is charged with first degree falsifying business records, fourth degree insurance fraud and attempted grand larceny, the attorney general said.

Four others were arrested on felony complaints filed in Queens and Kings County, and also face charges including falsifying business records, insurance fraud, and attempted grand larceny, Schneiderman said.

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The charges are the result of “Operation Crash & Buy II,” an investigation initiated by the Attorney General’s Auto Insurance Fraud Unit working with the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

The two sweeps have now resulted in a total of 11 arrests.

“New Yorkers’ pay more when fraudsters cheat the system,” Schneiderman said. “Insurance fraud is a serious crime, and today’s arrests should serve as yet another warning that my office will continue to aggressively identify and prosecute those who try to scam the system.”

Image via Shutterstock

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