Fraud of the Week

December 2, 2019

Automobile Fraud — Ohio

Amount: $67k

 

A Cleveland man has pleaded guilty after being confronted with video evidence of his attempted fraud scheme. In October 2018, an SUV was spotted from the cliffs above the Black River in Elyria Ohio, overturned in the river. Not realizing the vehicle was empty, the first responders began a dangerous rescue mission. The firefighters had to rappel 100 feet down a cliff, through vegetation and down rocks to reach the vehicle. The SUV had been reported stolen prior to the discovery. Police decided to check surveillance cameras at a restaurant near the top of the cliff and found footage of what turned out to be the owner of the vehicle driving the SUV to an opening in the foliage at the top of the cliff, and pushing the vehicle over the side of the cliff. The vehicle owner was later shown on the video walking home with a flashlight. Time stamps revealed that he reported the vehicle stolen to the police, and called his insurance company soon after he returned home.

He was charged with insurance fraud, making false alarms and inducing panic. He will pay more than $10,000 in restitution.

The news report containing the revealing surveillance video can be found at this link.

https://fox8.com/2019/11/20/man-who-pushed-suv-over-elyria-cliff-sentenced-for-insurance-fraud/