Shore News Network: Brooklyn duo busted for staging car crashes in NYC insurance scam

By: Shore News Network staff

Two Brooklyn men have been charged with staging multiple car crashes on New York City highways as part of a scheme to file fraudulent insurance claims, prosecutors said.

According to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, 53-year-old Jaime Huiracocha and 34-year-old Victor Murillo allegedly orchestrated three deliberate collisions between August and October 2024. Investigators say Huiracocha recruited participants by promising cash payouts, while Murillo drove the vehicles involved in the crashes.

The staged accidents took place on the Belt Parkway and the Nassau Expressway, with victims’ dashcam footage capturing parts of the incidents. Prosecutors allege that after collisions, participants would switch drivers or obstruct vehicle windows to conceal their actions. Personal injury and damage claims submitted to Allstate Insurance totaled more than $82,000.

Both men face charges including multiple counts of insurance fraud, staging a motor vehicle accident, reckless endangerment, conspiracy, and grand larceny. If convicted of the top count, they each face up to 15 years in prison.

Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of insurance fraud is urged to call the New York State Insurance Fraud Hotline at 888-372-8369 or visit dfs.ny.gov/consumers.