Six Arrested in Miami-Dade Insurance Fraud Scheme Involving Staged Crashes

Operation Crash and Cash Uncovered

• 🚨 Deputies announced the arrest of at least six individuals involved in an intricate crash and cash scheme in Southwest Miami-Dade.
• 💡 The scheme involved staging car crashes to defraud insurance companies, with an insurance company initially tipping off detectives about a suspicious claim.

Key Suspects and Modus Operandi

• 👨‍💼 Armando Mesa Lazaga, 56, and his brother Elvis Mesa, 60, are accused of orchestrating a staged crash to scam insurance companies out of tens of thousands of dollars.
• 🚗 The brothers allegedly used a single car crash with staged damage, involving driver Enrique Brioso and his wife Mary, who claimed they hit a deer.
• 📊 An event data recorder (EDR) from the vehicle revealed that the crash date was not accurate and the airbag did not deploy as reported.

Additional Charges and Ongoing Investigation

• 🏥 The investigation extended to Safe Care Therapy, where Rolando Romero and Sergio Fernandez Alfonso allegedly submitted forms for physical therapy treatments that were never received.
• 💰 Forms submitted to Infinity Keer Insurance totaled over $37,000 for these unreceived services.
• ⚖️ The arrested suspects face multiple charges, including racketeering and insurance fraud.
• 🔍 The sheriff's office continues to investigate if other related cases and individuals are involved in this ongoing operation.