Mass. Couple Indicted on Motor Vehicle Insurance Fraud and Larceny

A Plymouth County, Mass. Grand Jury returned indictments against a Plainville, Mass. man and woman in connection with allegedly stealing funds from their auto insurance company, lying under oath, and obtaining fake Massachusetts identification cards.

Efrain Colon, age 43, was reportedly charged with motor vehicle insurance fraud, conspiracy, larceny over $250, attempted larceny, and perjury. Efrain’s girlfriend, Rosita Colon, age 40, was said to be charged with motor vehicle insurance fraud, larceny over $250, conspiracy, falsification of a Massachusetts identification card, and attempting to falsify a Massachusetts identification card.

An investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Office began in October 2007 after the matter had been referred by the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB). Investigators said they discovered that in October 2003, Rosita, Efrain and two of their children were involved in a minor motor vehicle crash in the South Shore Plaza parking lot in Braintree, Mass. when they were struck from behind by a mall security vehicle. As a result of the motor vehicle crash, both Efrain and Rosita were said to have filed personal injury claims with their insurer, MetLife Home and Auto. They also apparently submitted bodily injury claims with Travelers Insurance, the insurer for South Shore Plaza Security.

Authorities allege that in seeking lost wages from both insurers, both Efrain and Rosita claimed to have missed work from their jobs in Quincy, Mass. However, authorities believe that Rosita and Efrain were not employed at the time of the motor vehicle accident and that they submitted multiple fake and forged documents to the insurance companies in an effort to validate their claims.

Based on their fraudulent claims, the Colons were said to have received approximately $9,000 from MetLife. Authorities discovered that Rosita also settled her fraudulent bodily injury claim with Travelers for $50,000. During their search for the driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash, Travelers apparently discovered that the Colons’ former employer’s main office was actually located in Allston, and not in Quincy. Travelers said they also discovered that the Quincy address given by Efrain and Rosita was actually an apartment rented by relatives at the time of the accident.

Upon learning this information, Travelers referred the case to the IFB. Investigators from the IFB then conducted their own investigation, and discovered that neither had been employed at the time the accident occurred. After their investigation, the IFB then referred the matter to the Attorney General’s Office. Efrain’s claim with Traveler’s did not settle, and he apparently filed a lawsuit against Travelers for bodily injury in Norfolk Superior Court. During a deposition pursuant to that civil lawsuit, Efrain allegedly made false statements claiming that he was employed full time as of the date of the accident and thereafter.

A Plymouth County Grand Jury returned indictments against both Rosita and Efrain. An arraignment date has been scheduled for July 31, 2008.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General David Andrews, of Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Insurance and Unemployment Fraud Division, with assistance from the IFB.

Source: Attorney General of Massachusetts.