Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Las Vegas man pleads guilty in staged car crashes

A Las Vegas man pleaded guilty to defrauding insurance companies out of more than $10,000, Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt announced Monday.

Martin Curiel-Guerra, 26, was charged with one count of multiple transactions involving fraud or deceit.

With the help of a co-defendant, Curiel-Guerra staged three car crashes as the driver and enabled co-conspirators to make false insurance claims in order to defraud car insurance companies between May and June of 2012. The scheme cost Nationwide Insurance Co., Sentry Insurance Co., the city of Henderson, and Nevada Highway Patrol losses of more than $10,000.

To stage a car crash, drivers position themselves carefully to create collisions with unsuspecting drivers. The driver will then claim to have sustained injuries, knowing it is difficult to disprove.

The charge of fraud or deceit holds potentially 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Insurance fraud may lead to up to four years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.

Laxalt says staged car crashes are on the rise in Nevada.

"These staged crashes are extremely dangerous to all involved. I encourage drivers to practice defensive driving and to be aware of the known types of staged collisions," he said.

Sentencing for Curiel-Guerra is scheduled for Dec. 1 in the 8th Judicial District Court.

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