Friends in low places

Investigators from the California Department of Insurance Fraud Division served a warrant for arrest on Ali Saeed Echtibi of Fresno for his alleged involvement in a staged automobile collision insurance fraud scheme. A second arrest warrant was issued for accomplice Hamad Mohammed Alkaabi, who was unable to be located and subsequently considered a fugitive.

The investigation was completed upon the request of two insurance carriers, Financial Indemnity and Commerce West, revealing the suspects were allegedly involved in a staged automobile collision in December 2000.

Echtibi claimed to have been involved in a collision in which he lost control of his 1996 Dodge Viper and collided with a 1999 Chevrolet Corvette, driven by an acquaintance of both Echtibi and Alkaabi. The claim further alleged that Alkaabi, who witnessed the primary collision from behind in a 1998 Camaro, diverted his vehicle into a raised concrete center divider when he noticed the Corvette’s T-top heading toward the vehicle. Subsequently, Echtibi filed a claim for damages to the Camaro, which was driven by Alkaabi, as a result of the collision.

A body shop owner confirmed that the Camaro was brought to his shop with major front-end damage in October 2000, two months before the December collision reportedly occurred. The body shop owner noted that the owner of the Camaro made several requests to alter the dates of the estimate, the last being the date of this alleged collision. He also stated that the Camaro was completely inoperable and was in his possession from the October date to the beginning of February 2001, when Alkaabi eventually paid him for the repairs.

As a result of the investigation, two felony counts of insurance fraud were filed by the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office.