Six individuals have been detained by authorities as part of an ongoing investigation into insurance fraud involving staged car crashes in Miami-Dade County, officials reported. The operation, dubbed "Operation Crash and Cash," has unveiled a scheme where suspects allegedly orchestrated accidents to claim insurance money for damage and medical treatments that never occurred.
According to NBC Miami, the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office initiated the investigation after a tip from an insurance provider last November. The suspects apparently tampered with vehicles and prepared pre-signed medical forms to support their fraudulent claims. Enrique Brioso Cribes, 35, and his wife, Mary Brioso, 53, were first arrested on February 24 when investigators concluded that the reported collision with a deer did not match the actual damages to their vehicle.
Further investigation identified additional culprits linked to the operation, including two brothers, Armando Mesa-Lazaga, 56, and Elvis M. Mesa-Lazaga, 60, who operated an auto body shop. They reportedly facilitated the staged car crashes by inducing fake damage to vehicles. Therapists Sergio Fernandez-Alfonso, 40, and Rolando Romero, 38, were likewise implicated in the scam, having the couple sign blank therapy forms, as reported by Local 10.
The sheriff's office executed multiple search warrants yesterday, leading to the arrest of the four additional suspects. Charges leveled against the group include insurance fraud, grand theft, organized scheme to defraud, and racketeering. In total, insurance claims amounting to more than $65,000 were submitted for property damage, and treatments, that were never actually provided.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office has affirmed that "Operation Crash and Cash" is still an open case, signaling the possibility for further developments or arrests.
