'Crash for cash' scam gang pocketed £320k

'RECKLESS' RINGLEADERS JAILED OVER DELIBERATE AND FAKE CRASHES

- KELLY ASHMORE News Reporter

MIDLAND 'crash for cash' fraudsters who pocketed more than £320,000 in bogus insurance claims have been convicted over their "reckless" crimes.

Ringleaders Raju Patel and Kamlesh Vadukul submitted false insurance claims for road traffic collisions that were either deliberate or had never even taken place.

Eight others helped to facilitate the “risky” scheme by intentionally causing collisions with innocent motorists by slamming on their brakes, or knowingly providing personal details for claims.

The organised crime group's activity predominantly took place across Walsall between December 2015 and October 2016.

The scheme was uncovered following an investigation led by the City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED), and supported by the Insurance Fraud Bureau and its members.

The investigation found some incidents were also paper-based fabrications, with the group submitting fraudulent repair invoices to an accident repair credit business, which would then look to seek recovery from the ‘at fault’ insurer.