Natasha Monique Villegas, of Oxnard, California, pleaded guilty to auto insurance fraud on Tuesday, October 2. Villegas dishonestly altered the date of a vehicle accident she was involved in to benefit from an insurance policy she bought post the accident, as per Ventura County District Attorney news release.
In March 2020, an uninsured Villegas was in a traffic collision. She bought an Esurance policy the following day, neglecting to mention her accident. About one week later, she filed a claim, falsely claiming the accident happened a day after her insurance purchase. Esurance and the Ventura County District Attorney's Office unveiled the deception during their investigation.
Prosecuting this case is Senior Deputy District Attorney Mike Frawley, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney's Office Auto Insurance Fraud Unit. Villegas is facing up to five years in county jail and could incur fines of up to $50,000 or twice the fraud amount, whichever is greater. Villegas’s sentencing is slated for December 1, as stated in the press release.
