Crash for cash group sentenced

A man and two women have been sentenced for their part in a crash for cash insurance scam. The conviction follows an attempted fraud being uncovered by esure, which was then investigated by the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED), part of the City of London Police.

Officers are also issuing an image of a fourth man, who remains wanted in connection with the fraud. 

The three individuals conspired together to submit fraudulent insurance claims, stating that on 23 August 2013, the Vauxhall Corsa they were travelling in together was involved in a collision with a Ford Mondeo in Hertford Road, Edmonton, London.

Claims were made against the insurance policy of the Mondeo driver by Abdi Ali Muse, the driver of the Corsa, and his two passengers; Nimitalah Mohammed and Sulekha Khalif. The trio claimed for a total of around £10,000 between them for personal injury and losses as a result of the accident. As part of the claim, they all stated that they did not know the driver in the other vehicle involved.

The fraud was spotted after the insurer, esure, noticed that the damage to the vehicles was not consistent with the type of collision reported.

Its investigators also identified that the driver of the Mondeo had two policies with esure; one for the car he was said to have been driving at the time of the collision, and a separate policy for a Vauxhall Zafira. Furthermore esure discovered the original deposit payments for the two policies were made by other individuals; namely Abdi Ali Muse and Nimitalah Mohammed.

Mohammed and Khalif were both arrested by IFED officers, and Muse was also interviewed, where he admitted that the accident hadn’t occurred as they had all claimed and all three were subsequently charged with conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation.

Abdi Ali Muse and Sulekha Khalif both pleaded guilty to the offence and Nimitalah Mohammed were found guilty following a trial at the Old Bailey in November 2015.

Muse was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment (suspended for two years), 150 hours unpaid work and fines and costs of £1,000. Khalif was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment (suspended for two years), 75 hours unpaid work and £500 fines and costs. Mohammed was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment (suspended for two years), 50 hours unpaid work, and £1,100 fines and costs.

Detective Constable Gary Kearley, who investigated the case said: “The whole claim was fabricated and it was likely they had planned it well in advance, given that the group all knew each other and the two insurance policies relating to the Mondeo driver had been paid for by bank cards in Muse’s and Mohammed’s names.”

“Fraudulent crash for cash claims mean higher premiums for law-abiding motorists, so they affect everybody in that way. Anyone thinking that a crash for cash scam is a quick and harmless way to make cash is sorely mistaken and these four fraudsters will now all have criminal convictions.”

Graham Hughes, Chief Claims Officer at esure: “This claim was completely made up and demonstrates the audacity of these attempted fraudsters. Our investigators immediately identified that the damage didn’t add up to the circumstances of the accident, that the individuals were collaborating to the point where one of them paid for the at fault drivers policy, and therefore we reported our suspicions to the authorities.

“This should serve a warning to any fraudsters that they can’t con insurance companies out of money and we treat fraud very seriously.”

Appeal to trace wanted man

Officers are also appealing for information regarding the whereabouts of Abulaker Elmi who remains wanted in connection with the fraud.

Elmi was summonsed to appear at the City of London Magistrates’ Court on 21 April 2015 to face a charge of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation, but failed to appear. A warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest and, despite various enquiries; officers have been unable to locate him since.

 

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