Florida Massage Therapist Arrested for PIP Fraud Against Multiple Insurers

The Department of Financial Services’ Division of Insurance Fraud (DIF) announced the arrest of John Alexander Fraga (aka Juan Alejandro Fraga) for his involvement in the alleged billing of more than $40,000 to multiple insurance companies for the treatment of fake injuries following a series of staged car accidents in an attempt to fraudulently collect personal injury protection (PIP) insurance payments for profit.

Dating back to May 2011, DIF has investigated a series of staged car accidents that occurred in the Jacksonville area, according to a statement from the department. During a five month period in 2012, DIF investigated three separate staged accidents that involved fraudulent rehabilitative practices at Jacksonville’s Gate Parkway Diagnostics Center (GPDC).

DIF investigators discovered that the occupants of the vehicles involved in the staged accidents were allegedly recruited by GDPC employees to seek treatment for fake injuries following each accident. Fraga, a licensed massage therapist at GDPC, allegedly authorized 127 documents that were used to bill multiple insurance companies for PIP insurance payouts totaling more than $40,000. The forms signed were for services that never occurred as treatment for injuries that failed to exist.

During the course of this ongoing investigation, several other arrests tied to this operation have been made, including: Sandy Morales, the owner of GDPC, and the four individuals who were occupying the vehicles involved in these staged accidents; Michael Huerta, Olegario Hernandez Perez, Danay Torres-Gomez, and Salvador Torres.

Fraga was arrested and booked into the Miami-Dade County Jail. He faces five felony charges, and if convicted, he faces up to 35 years in prison. This case will be prosecuted by ASA Joe Licandro in the Office of State Attorney Angela B. Corey.

Topics Florida Carriers Fraud