BROOKYLN, NY — Two men have been sentenced after they were found guilty of staging three crashes on New York City highways in an insurance fraud scheme.
Jaime Huiracocha, 53, and Victor Murillo, 34, pleaded guilty to charges related to the three staged crashes including insurance fraud, conspiracy and staging a motor vehicle accident.
Huiracocha was sentenced to one to three years in prison while Murillo faces two years.
"We're sending a message to would-be-fraudsters everywhere: If you stage crashes, try to defraud or endanger New Yorkers, you will be held accountable," Governor Kathy Hochul said. "This kind of reckless, illegal behavior has been driving up auto insurance costs for millions of New Yorkers for far too long. By cracking down, we're not just getting dangerous criminals off our roads, we're putting money back into the pockets of everyday drivers."
According to investigators, between August 24 and October 16, 2024, Huiracocha and Murillo conspired to stage car crashes on New York City highways as part of an insurance fraud scheme.
The defendants recruited individuals to participate in three separate car crashes and enticed them with promises of cash payouts of thousands of dollars.
Murillo acted as the designated driver for these crashes. During each of the staged collisions, the defendant suddenly and deliberately stepped on the brakes of the car he was driving, causing the vehicle behind him to rear end the car he was operating.
In one instance, when the car behind him braked in time to avoid a collision, Murillo reversed into that vehicle and caused a crash.
After the crashes, Murillo climbed into the front passenger seat of each vehicle and exited the car from the passenger side. His actions were obscured by passengers in the back seat who covered the rear window with a tarp or plastic bag.
Murillo then fled the scene each time in a getaway car that had pulled in front of the car he drove. In the three collisions, the remaining occupants of Murillo's car exited the vehicle and pretended to be injured.
The occupants were directed by Huiracocha to visit specific medical clinics after the crashes.
The most recent New York State budget includes sweeping reforms to address fraudulent claims and staged accidents.
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