Four more people were arrested Tuesday in a yearslong investigation into what state investigators describe as a “fraudulent insurance school” operating near Miami International Airport, a case that has already exposed hundreds of allegedly rigged licensing exams.
Details of the arrests
Authorities booked Iliana Bedoya Cuadros, 53, of Palm Springs; Yilliam Bruzon Betancourt, 37, of Louisville, Kentucky; Robinson Lopez Tiberio, 55, of Coral Springs; and Jose Dario Moreno, 39, of Doral into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on Tuesday. Court records show the four face various charges, including organized scheme to defraud, and were being held on bonds ranging from $3,150 to $5,650. Two of the suspects also remained jailed on immigration holds. The new arrests were announced by state investigators and detailed in reporting by Local 10.
Where the scheme operated and the scale investigators allege
Investigators say the scheme centered on the former D&R Academy office at 6405 NW 36th St. in Virginia Gardens, just a short drive from the airport. An industry account and a statement from test vendor Pearson VUE said an internal review flagged anomalies that investigators say involved roughly 820 subverted licensing exams, a discovery that triggered license suspensions and the ongoing probe, as reported by Insurance Journal.
How investigators say the operation worked
Arrest reports and interviews described a scheme in which applicants paid hundreds to thousands of dollars, roughly $400 for life and health licenses and up to $2,000 or more for property and casualty credentials, to have someone else complete required coursework and take the state exam on their behalf. Witnesses told investigators they were instructed to leave phones and watches outside a testing room while a laptop logged into their account was placed in front of them and controlled remotely. Coverage of the probe lays out those mechanics and says investigators found thousands of related WhatsApp contacts and account activity, according to CBS Miami.
Legal developments and who has already been charged
The investigation has produced multiple arrests and at least one guilty plea. Records show Rainier Miguel Salas, identified earlier as a key operator tied to D&R Academy, pleaded guilty in 2025 to uttering forged instruments and an organized scheme to defraud and was sentenced to community control and probation. Prosecutors have dropped or amended charges against several co-defendants, and at least one person has cooperated with investigators, per reporting on the case. Those court developments and the latest group of arrests are summarized by Local 10.
Immigration holds and next steps for regulators
Authorities said digital evidence, including messaging-app records, helped tie the newly arrested people to the enterprise, and investigators say prosecutions and administrative reviews of suspect licenses remain possible. Two of the defendants were being held on immigration detainers. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement notes that detainers are requests asking confinement facilities to notify ICE and, in some cases, hold a person for up to 48 hours so federal authorities can assume custody, not a court order, as explained by ICE. Prosecutors with the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office and the Florida Department of Financial Services did not immediately release further details as the investigation continues.
