A total of 13 suspects in New York have been arrested in connection to two massive, separate insurance fraud rings that collectively stole $100 million.
The suspected gang members were nabbed in a probe by federal officials, the NYPD, and the Westchester District Attorney’s office. Allegedly, the individuals bribed 911 operators, hospital staff, and others in order to get information on car crash victims, as part of their elaborate fraud scheme.
Armed with the information procured through bribery, the two gangs then steered the victims towards doctors who are involved in the fraud ring, a US Attorney release said. These doctors would then perform “unnecessary and often painful” medical procedures on the victims, overbilling insurance companies.
According to Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams, the two fraud rings are some of the largest ever that involved no-fault auto insurance.
The first crew, comprised of Alexander “Little Alex” Gulkarov, Roman Israilov, Peter Khaimov, and Anthony DiPietro, allegedly managed to defraud insurers of $30 million between 2014 and 2021. Indictment charges have also named medical doctor Rolando Chumaceiro and chiropractor Marcelo Quiroga, who “ceded control of their medical practices” to Gulkarov’s gang.
Officials have also named Robert Wisnicki as one of the co-conspirators in the scheme. Wisnicki allegedly laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars for the gang through his law firms. The gang was also allegedly aided by NYPD officer Albert Aronov, who allegedly used the department’s computers to steal car crash victim information.
The second fraud ring was allegedly run by Bradley Pierre, from 2008 to 2021. Joining him were rehab doctor Marvin Moy and osteopath William Weiner. Prosecutors said that both Moy and Weiner agreed to perform unnecessary medical procedures on accident victims. Two men, Arthur Borgoraz and Andrew Prime, it is claimed, worked as bribers for Pierre by facilitating pay offs. Pierre’s crew also allegedly bribed hospital officials and NYPD officers, but no police officers were named in the indictment, New York Daily News reported.
Pierre’s crew defrauded insurers of $70 million over the span of 13 years, prosecutors said.
A news release from US Attorney Damian Williams’ office said that the leaders of the schemes are looking at federal sentences of up to 42 years.
