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Three Cuban citizens residing in South Florida were arrested in Miami after being accused of participating in an insurance fraud scheme, in which they staged a traffic accident to claim monetary compensation for alleged injuries.
The individuals involved have been identified as Karina Sánchez, Darvin Morlote, and his son, Kervin Morlote, who are now facing charges of insurance fraud, grand theft, and staging an accident, according to police sources cited by Telemundo 51.
According to the investigation, the incident occurred on January 22nd in the vicinity of Northwest 123rd Street and Seventh Avenue, in the North Miami area.
However, images obtained from security cameras in a nearby parking lot revealed that the accused had gathered in that very location hours before the alleged accident, which confirmed the hypothesis that the crash was premeditated.
In the videos, a 2020 gray Toyota Corolla and a 2000 silver Toyota Camry can be seen, vehicles that were later involved in the collision.
One of the elements that caught the attention of the investigators was that Darvin Morlote had modified his insurance policy just one day before the incident, adding his son as a covered individual.
Interestingly, Kervin Morlote also appeared as one of the injured following the accident, and both filed claims totaling $68,926 for medical treatments and physical therapy.
The defendants are said to have received medical services at several clinics in the Miami area, including Ocean Health Care Solutions, River Medical Center, Lago Medical Center, and Universal X-Rays, facilities that reported expenses in the thousands of dollars for treatments attributed to the aftereffects of the simulated accident.
The authorities continue to investigate whether these clinics were aware of the fraud or if they were also victims of it. However, one of the clinics involved was already linked to a similar previous incident.
Positions and current situation
Karina Sánchez, Darvin Morlote, and Kervin Morlote have finally been arrested and now face multiple criminal charges, including insurance fraud, grand theft, and staging an accident, crimes for which they could face severe penalties if found guilty.
Investigations are ongoing, as authorities do not rule out the possibility that more individuals or institutions may be involved in the scheme.
All remain detained at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center (TGK) in Miami-Dade County.
Part of a broader operation against fraud in South Florida
This case is part of a larger investigation that has led to the dismantling of multiple networks dedicated to insurance fraud in South Florida. Many of those involved have been citizens of Cuban origin.
At the end of March, three more Cuban citizens were arrested in Florida for their alleged involvement in a criminal network that defrauded insurance companies of over $84,000 through a scheme involving staged car accidents and fraudulent medical treatments.
In that case, the individuals involved, identified as Pavel Vidal del Toro, Oscar Mustelier Salas, and Yislan Barrera Favier, were part of a group that, according to the investigation, organized a staged collision on August 20 of last year at the intersection of South 17th Avenue and Moffett Street in the city of Hollywood.
The scam is said to have been funneled through two clinics: Ocean Health Care Solutions and Magic Healing, which collaborated with the network to inflate claims with "fake therapy sessions." The mentioned clinics reported non-existent health services to justify the reimbursements from insurers.
At the end of February, three Cubans were arrested for leading a fraudulent scheme operated from a clinic in Hialeah, where patients were illegally manipulated and false claims were submitted to insurance companies.
The first suspicions about the existence of the fraud network emerged from a traffic accident that occurred in November of last year. During the investigation of the incident, Miami-Dade detectives detected inconsistencies in the testimonies and documentation presented, which raised alarms about the possibility of organized fraud.
As the investigation delved deeper into the case, the researchers uncovered a recurring pattern in the accident reports connected to the Hialeah clinic. The evidence gathered established a direct link between the three defendants and the systematic simulation of incidents aimed at defrauding insurance companies.
The authorities in Florida have intensified the fight against these criminal organizations that affect both insurers and honest drivers, who end up paying higher premiums due to the impact of these frauds.
Due to the high volume of cases, Miami-Dade authorities are implementing a pilot program to detect fraudulent collisions.
The authorities in Miami-Dade have reiterated their commitment to combating this type of fraudulent schemes, emphasizing that they will continue to monitor clinics and medical centers that may be involved in similar illicit activities.
In the United States, losses due to scams involving false accidents exceed 2 billion dollars annually.
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