An undercover operation bust led to five arrests in San Bernardino County, Calif. The California Department of Insurance’s (CDI) Urban Auto Task Force arrested Dr. Michael Loader, 49, a chiropractor, of Claremont; Bruce Sutton, 45, of Ontario; Ramona Toney, 48, of Riverside; Denise Martin, 35, of Torrance; and Bernita Ingram, 38, of Fontana. All are charged with felony insurance fraud, as the result of an investigation dubbed “Operation Pay Out.”
Loader, while working at De Anza Health Clinic in Ontario, Calif., allegedly provided medical examinations, medical reports and medical billings for the purpose of bodily injury claims submitted to various insurance carriers. Investigators went undercover and were allowed to sign in for treatments that were never executed. The medical billings were increased by Loader to maximize profit. Loader was reportedly informed that they were staged traffic collisions. Loader allegedly agreed to prepare medical reports and billings for individuals he never saw, as well. More arrests are anticipated.
Mother Arrested for Insurance Fraud
Teodolinda Loya, 43, of San Jose, Calif., was arrested for one felony count of conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, one misdemeanor count of delaying and obstructing a police officer, and one misdemeanor count of making false statements to police officers. Her son, Rene Gutierrez Aguirre, 23, also of San Jose, Calif., was also issued a warrant for arrest but is still outstanding. Aguirre’s warrant is for one felony count of insurance fraud and one felony count of conspiracy to commit insurance fraud.
In Feb. 2002, Aguirre was reportedly driving his mother’s 1997 Ford Expedition in Santa Clara when he lost control of the vehicle and hit a light pole. Loya went to the insurance company the same day and allegedly claimed that she was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident. Investigators allege Aguirre was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident. There was approximately $8,446 in potential loss if the claim had been paid.
Bail is set at $20,000 for Loya, and $10,000 for Aguirre.
Topics Fraud
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