April 2013
Volume 3 - Issue 10
The organizers were
charged with setting up
nine different staged
accidents between
March 2010 and April
2012 that resulted in
more than $506,000 in
fraudulent claims.
HEADER HERE
DIF Arrests 19
For Staged Crashes
Statewide in March
The Division of Insurance Fraud (DIF) arrested 19 persons for staged
accidents statewide in March, including seven organizers. The total
fraudulent claims filed in these fake crashes exceeded $860,000.
The organizers were charged with setting up nine different staged
accidents between March 2010 and April 2012 that resulted in more than
$506,000 in fraudulent claims. Those charged as organizers included
Denys Castellanos, 40, Juan Francisco Fernandez, 49, Roberto Ulises
Inerarity, 39, Diana Merice, 39, Devon Aaron Mitchell Parnell, 21, Gustavo
Rodriguez Ruiz, 26, and Roberto Natanael Toledo, 50.
Two of the organizers, Fernandez and Inerarity, were charged for staging
multiple accidents. Toledo was also the owner of a clinic, Centinel
Medical Center, and had previously been arrested by DIF in September
2012 for two other staged accidents.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
Staged Accidents
2
Operation SAFE
4
PIP Fraud News
5
Most Wanted
6
Statewide Arrests
8
Statewide Contacts
The organizer arrests involved cases in Broward, Miami-Dade and
Orange counties.
In addition to the above organizers, DIF arrested 12 other subjects as
staged accident participants in the above cases and seven different
accidents, which involved an additional $360,000 in fraudulent claims.
Those charged include Cesar Arias Jimenez, 45; Traykeyanna Quewanna
Campbell, 32; Baby John Chery, 19; Tonier Esperon, 28; Felicia Paulette
Hastings, 39; Maritza Moreno Moreva, 47; Iovanys Perez Alarcon, 40;
Leodan Perez Ramirez, 37; Ramon Prado Andino, 41; Iesha Nicole
Robinson, 39; Lesia Robinson Williams, 46 and Elizabeth Yvonne Simon,
37.
The participant arrests involved cases in Hillsborough, Miami-Dade,
Orange and Palm Beach counties.
April 2013
Page 2
CFO Jeff Atwater launches Operation S.A.F.E.
with Be Scam Smart Workshops
In honor of Older Americans Month in May, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater is launching
Operation S.A.F.E. , a new initiative to “Stop Adult Financial Exploitation” and turn the tables on
fraud artists who target Florida’s 4.4 million seniors.
CFO Atwater is seeking to combat statistics that estimate at least one in five seniors has been a
victim of financial fraud with this series of free workshops for seniors, their families and caregivers
designed to teach them how to spot a scam, how scams work, and steps they can take to protect
themselves.
“Our seniors contribute greatly to Florida’s economy and as a result many have built a nest egg that
makes them targets for fraud,” said CFO Atwater. “It is my mission to ensure that they can better
enjoy their retirement knowing they are armed with information to safeguard their finances.”
The workshops, titled Be Scam Smart, are part of CFO Atwater’s On Guard for Seniors initiative that
he launched last year to educate seniors on specific financial products such as annuities, identity
theft, reverse mortgages and long-term care insurance. Operation S.A.F.E. will focus on frauds and
scams, such as fake lotteries and repair scams, and how these scams work on the psyche to
convince us to take a chance on something we know or should know is too good to be true.
Initial workshops will be held in May in Cape Coral, Venice, Delray Beach, Clearwater, The Villages
and Miami with other locations to be scheduled throughout the year.
The Operation S.A.F.E. workshops are being provided by the Department of Financial Services,
which CFO Atwater oversees, and will be presented by representatives from the Department’s
Division of Consumer Services, Division of Agent and Agency Services, and Division of Insurance
Fraud, and locally in partnership with U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s Office, the Palm Beach County
Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Miami-Dade Police Department, the Sarasota
County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
“Be Scam Smart” workshops will be presented by investigators and fraud detectives from the
Department of Financial Services who fight fraud every day –the Division of Consumer Services,
Division of Agent and Agency Services, and Division of Insurance Fraud. The Division of Consumer
Services offers education and a Consumer Helpline that last year answered more than 325,000 calls
and recovered $22.6 million for Florida consumers. More than 70 percent of the Division of Agent
and Agency Services’ recoveries last year were on behalf of seniors, and the Division of Insurance
Fraud (DIF) is a statewide sworn law enforcement agency that is a national leader in fraud arrests.
Last year, DIF responded within 30 minutes to a South Florida woman who had already lost $9,000
and was about to clean out $20,000 from an annuity to cover “taxes” for a fake lottery scam.
To learn more about Operation S.A.F.E. or register for a workshop, visit www.MyFloridaCFO.com/Safe
and check out the flyer on page 3 for workshop dates.
The PIP Source
Page 3
April 2013
Page 4
PIP FRAUD – In The News
DIF Lieutenants Are Winners at 2013 SLECA Awards Luncheon
On March 13, the State Law Enforcement Chiefs Association (www.statechiefs.com) held
its annual awards ceremony which honors excellence in state law enforcement. The
Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Insurance Fraud was fortunate
enough to have two award recipients.
Lt. Violeta Serrano, who supervises a PIP squad in Miami, received the SLECA Leadership
Award for her dedication and commitment to state law enforcement and Lt. Deborah de la
Paz-Boxer from the West Palm Beach Regional Field Office received the SLECA
President's Award for her work as a multi-agency task force supervisor.
Florida's Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, who oversees the Florida Department of Lts. Serrano and Boxer
Financial Services, was the Keynote Speaker at the event and also participated in the presentation of the awards.
Florida Legislature Considers PIP Repeal
Governor Rick Scott and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater worked hard alongside Florida lawmakers to tighten the PIP
law, which insurance companies and law enforcement officials claim was rife with fraud. But with a recent court ruling
calling into question the constitutionality of those changes, lawmakers are now debating whether to scrap the whole
system and return to a system in which victims would sue at-fault drivers.
State Senator David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, proposed scraping PIP for bodily-injury coverage, requiring a policy
with limits of $25,000 for a single person and $50,000 per accident medical care and damages. It would also have a
$10,000 limit for property damage.
See the article by Kathleen Haughney at http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-04-02/news/fl-pip-no-more20130402_1_pip-accident-victims-lawmakers; one by Christine Jordan Sexton at http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/
news/2013/04/01/state-legislators-may-try-to-replace-pip.html and another by Charles Nguyen at http://
news.onlineautoinsurance.com/state/florida-car-insurance-repeal-99199.
WPB Massage Therapist Surrenders License, Clinics Closed
West Palm Beach Massage therapist Inge Baumert, 28, entered into an agreement with the Palm Beach County State
Attorney’s Office in which she will surrender her license to the Department of Health. Baumert was arrested by the
Division of Insurance Fraud (DIF) in August 2011 as part of Operation Small Change, an investigation into fraud at the
accident clinic Progressive Rehab Treatments Corp.
Baumert, who had been licensed since May 2010, was charged with fabricating documents for treatment she did not
provide. Baumert had also opened her own clinic, Body Needs Therapy, in April 2011. Both clinics have since closed.
Massage Therapist Arrested in Tampa
The Division of Insurance Fraud in Tampa arrested massage therapist Melissa Esperanza Garcia, 24, for insurance
fraud in which she fabricated treatment forms for patients who she did not treat, and had the patients sign the forms for
treatment not received.
Garcia worked at Personal Medical Center, which was the subject of 10 arrests since August 2011, most involving
patients involved in paper accidents. Garcia was charged with $37,587 in fraudulent claims.
The PIP Source
Page 5
Most Wanted: Fugitive
Manuel Hernandez
AKA: Manuel Garcia Hernandez
White Male, 56 years old
5’10”, 210 lbs, Brown Eyes, Gray Hair
Warrant Information:
Warrant/Case #: 2009-CF031293
Felony Warrant Charge: Staged Motor Vehicle Crash
Details:
The Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Insurance
Fraud is attempting to locate Manuel Hernandez.
Manuel Hernandez committed acts of Insurance Fraud resulting from
knowingly participating in an intentional staged motor vehicle crash on
March 2, 2009 for the purpose of claiming personal injury protection
(PIP) benefits. On March 2, 2009, a traffic crash occurred involving the
subject as a participant of the “not at fault” vehicle. After the crash,
Hernandez faked injuries for treatment at a chiropractic clinic also
involved with the submission of the fraudulent claims.
If you know where Hernandez can be located, please contact the
Division of Insurance Fraud at 1-800-378-0445.
Check out the DFS Most Wanted at http://www.myfloridacfo.com/PressOffice/MostWanted/
DIF Seizes Hummer in Tampa Fraud Case
Two years after a successful prosecution of clinic
owners, the Division of Insurance Fraud’s Tampa
office completed the forfeiture of a 2007 Hummer.
DIF conducted an undercover investigation into the
fraudulent activity of the clinic, Marbella Medical
Center, and it’s owners, Yusimy and Isidoro
Martinez. They had opened and operated the clinic
after obtaining a false exemption issued by the
Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
(AHCA). Yusimy Martinez was sentenced to three
years in prison and two years probation while her
husband Isidoro received 22 months in prison and
three years probation. Allied Insurance Company
assisted DIF in the operation. The Martinezes had
also operated Bellamar Medical Center in Tampa.
April 2013
Page 6
Statewide PIP Arrests – March 2013
Each issue will provide a list of PIP arrests made by the offices throughout the State. Along with each defendant’s name
and age, we will include: the type of scheme involved; the fraud dollar amount; clinic name(s); victim insurance company
name(s); and the arresting office. If you need additional details on any of these arrests, please contact Capt. Smith.
Iovanys Perez Alarcon, 40 - staged acct 05/08/10 (passenger) $49,934 - Absolute Health Center Corp / Angel Rehabilitation Medical
Center / Dade Health Care / RT Diagnostic (State Farm) M
David Edward Metz, Jr, 35 - sale of fake ins card (MGA) T
Roberto Ulises Inerarity, 38 - staged acct 10/16/11 (recruiter) $11,712 - Excellent Rehab Center (Geico / State Farm) B
Christopher Joseph Jordan, 52 - fake ins card (State Farm) O
Gustavo Rodriguez Ruiz, 26 - staged acct 04/02/12 (recruiter) $60,938 - Integral Medical Rehab / Well-Care Rehab Services
(Allstate / Geico) M
Jesus Flores, 51 - jump-in 07/12/12 - $19,605 - Angels Diagnostic Group / Well-Care Rehab Services (Geico) M
Shantalett Latishia Dallas, 43 - fake ins card (Direct General) T
Reginald Eugene McPherson, 55 - sale of fake ins card - (Kingsway Amigo) T
Edeline Etienne Sylverin, 34 - PIP patient - $27,909 - Injury Treatment Center (Imperial Fire & Casualty) B
Jean Joseph Aristide, 57 - statement in support of jump-in - $16,662 - Blessings Rehab Center (Direct / GMAC) O
Gracia Aristide St Hilaire, 47 - jump-in 06/11/09 - $26,662 - Blessings Rehab Center (Direct / GMAC) O
Marie J Calixte, 35 - statement in support of jump-in - $16,662 - Blessings Rehab Center (Direct / GMAC) O
Jamar Roshawn Ellis, 25 - fake ins card (Assurance America) T
Lesia Robinson Williams, 46 - staged acct 12/01/09 (driver) $38,074 - Blessings Rehab Center (Liberty Mutual / Permanent General
Assurance) O
Denys Castellanos, 40 - staged acct 05/31/11 (recruiter) $100,581 - ORD Medical / RCR Rehabilitation (Geico / MGA / State Farm)
M
Roberto Ulises Inerarity, 39 - staged acct 09/13/11 (recruiter) $13,647 - Excellent Rehab / Sunset Physiotherapy (Allstate / Geico) B
Antoine Maurice Parham, 41 - fake ins card (Geico) T
Baby John Chery, 19 - staged acct 09/02/11 (passenger) $12,716 - Apex Chiropractic & Rehab Center (Omni) W
Tonier Esperon, 28 - staged acct 09/15/12 (passenger) $78,790 - Clarke Medical Services / Emoge Medical Services / Magic Hands
Medical Services / New Life Rehab Services (Allstate / Geico / Kingsway Amigo / State Farm) M
Elizabeth Yvonne Simon, 37 - paper accident 10/26/10 (driver) $19,740 - Personal Medical Center (Farmers) T
Cesar Arias Jimenez, 45 - staged acct 05/31/11 (passenger) - $100,581 - ORD Medical / RCR Rehabilitation (Geico / MGA / State
Farm) M
Diana Merice, 39 - staged acct 06/22/11 (recruiter) $16,684 - Advanced 3D Imaging / Wellness Pain and Rehab (AGIC) O
Traykeyanna Quewanna Campbell, 32 - paper acct 10/26/10 (driver) $37,587 - Personal Medical Center (Farmers / Geico) T
Tony Junior York, 45 - fake ins card (MGA) T
Iesha Nicole Robinson, 39 - staged acct 06/22/11 (driver) $16,684 - Advanced 3D Imaging / Wellness Pain and Rehab (AGIC) O
Roberto Natanael Toledo, 50 - clinic owner / staged acct 07/12/11 (recruiter) $154,407 - Centinel Medical Center / HET Medical /
Rosenberg Clinic (21st Century / Allstate / Geico / State Farm) M
Roberto Natanael Toledo, 50 - clinic owner / patient brokering / insurance fraud - $46,086 - Centinel Medical Center (Geico) M
Ramon Prado Andino, 41 - staged acct 01/25/12 (passenger) $70,791 - Advanced Orthopedics and Pain Management / Angels
Diagnostic Group / Atrium Chiropractic & Rehab / Biscayne Rehab Center / Gentle Care Rehab Services / South Florida Medical
Health Center / YH Imaging (Esurance / Geico / State Farm) M
Code – B (Broward) F (Ft Myers) J (Jacksonville) M (Miami) O (Orlando) P (Pensacola) TL (Tallahassee) T (Tampa/St Pete) W (West Palm Beach)
The PIP Source
Page 7
Statewide PIP Arrests – March 2013
Each issue will provide a list of PIP arrests made by the offices throughout the State. Along with each defendant’s name
and age, we will include: the type of scheme involved; the fraud dollar amount; clinic name(s); victim insurance company
name(s); and the arresting office. If you need additional details on any of these arrests, please contact Capt. Smith.
Christopher Joseph Jordan, 52 - fake ins card (State Farm) O
Nathaniel Thompkin, 23 - statement in support of jump-in 03/30/12 - $6,587 - Palm Beach Physical Medicine (Geico) W
Latonya Iris Richardson, 26 - jump-in 03/30/12 - $6,587 - Palm Beach Physical Medicine (Geico) W
Monica Gattorno Narciandi, 27 - solicitation – Dr Brian Elias (Imperial Fire & Casualty) M
Felicia Paulette Hastings, 39 - staged acct 01/25/12 (driver) $70,791 - Advanced Orthopedics and Pain Management / Angels
Diagnostic Group / Atrium Chiropractic & Rehab / Biscayne Rehab Center / Gentle Care Rehab Services / South Florida Medical
Health Center / YH Imaging (Esurance / Geico / State Farm) M
Leodan Perez Ramirez, 37 - staged acct 09/27/11 (driver) $72,695 - A & O Service Corp / Doctors Professional Medical Center /
RCR Rehabilitation Center (Geico / State Farm) M
Betty Merzlus, 24 - fake ins card (Equity) W
Juan Francisco Fernandez, 49 - staged acct 03/25/10 (recruiter) $46,209 - Angels Diagnostic Group / B & A Diagnostic Pentacle
Rehabilitation Center / Sunlight Rehabilitation (Geico / MGA / Progressive) M
Melissa Esperanza Garcia, 24 - massage therapist - $37,587 - Personal Medical Center (Farmers) T
Maritza Moreno Moreva, 47 - staged acct 05/31/11 (driver) $99,781 - ORD Medical / RCR Rehabilitation Center (Geico / MGA / State
Farm) M
Juan Francisco Fernandez, 49 - staged acct 06/05/10 - (recruiter) $49,833 - Miami Dade Medical Center (Republic Western / State
Farm) M
Juan Francisco Fernandez, 49 - staged acct 06/06/10 (recruiter) $52,306 - Health Professional Services (Progressive / State Farm)
M
Devon Aaron Mitchell Parnell, 21 - staged acct 06/22/11 (recruiter) $16,684 - Advanced 3D Imaging / Wellness Pain and Rehab
(AGIC) O
Arrested in December 2011
Jessica Ocampo, 28 - staged acct 09/17/10 (driver) $5,245 - General Rehabilitation Center (Geico) T
Code – B (Broward) F (Ft Myers) J (Jacksonville) M (Miami) O (Orlando) P (Pensacola) TL (Tallahassee) T (Tampa/St Pete) W (West Palm Beach)
April 2013
Page 8
Statewide PIP Contacts
PANHANDLE REGION
Counties: Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf,
Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty,
Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Taylor, Wakulla, Walton,
Washington
Tallahassee Field Office - 850.413.3115
Lt. Ernie STOLL
Pensacola Field Office - 850.453.7802
Capt. David LINDSAY
NORTH REGION
Counties: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Citrus, Clay, Columbia,
Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Levy, Marion,
Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Union
Jacksonville Field Office - 904.798.5802
Capt. Brian McCOY
Lt. Kevin JONES
WEST CENTRAL REGION
Counties: Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry,
Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk,
Sarasota
Tampa Field Office - 813.972.8602
Capt. Michael BYRNE
Lt. Carlos ROSARIO
Lt. Darrell WILSON
Fort Myers Field Office - 239.278.7527
Lt. Mark FRITZ
Copy goes her.
Editor’s
Corner
On page 1, we cover 19 arrests statewide of
persons involved in staged accidents,
including seven organizers.
On pages 2 and 3, we present a new initiative
by CFO Atwater to protect seniors in Florida,
Operation SAFE.
On page 5, we feature another fugitive in
Insurance Fraud’s Most Wanted.
As always, we report on PIP Fraud in the News
and the latest PIP-related arrests.
EAST CENTRAL REGION
Counties: Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Volusia
Orlando Field Office - 407.835.4402
Capt. Glen HUGHES
Lt. Jewel CAMERON
Lt. Paul MEYERS
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Counties: Broward, Highlands, Indian River, Martin,
Okeechobee, Palm Beach, St. Lucie
Plantation Field Office - 954.958.5402
Capt. John DYGON
Lt. Bill LEE
West Palm Beach Field Office - 561.837.5601
Lt. Evangelina BROOKS
SOUTH REGION
Counties: Dade, Monroe
Miami Field Office - 305.536.0302
Capt. Steven SMITH
Lt. Violeta SERRANO
Lt. Stanley JEAN-FELIX
Lt. Rafael DELGADO
South Florida Major Medical Fraud Task Force
Supervisory Special Agent Fred Burkhardt 954.329.7427
Central Florida Major Medical Fraud Task Force
Supervisory Special Agent Jose Olivier 813.558.6387