Eight convicted over motor scam

Five men and three women have been convicted at Leicester Crown Court for their part in a car insurance fraud scam worth tens of thousands of pounds.

The fraudulent claims related to damage and injuries resulting from four collisions in Leicester and Birmingham. The convictions were secured following a joint investigation between Leicestershire Constabulary and the Insurance Fraud Bureau, supported by the UK Borders Agency.

Out of the four collisions only one was proved to have happened but still the claim made did not reflect the damage.

The investigation began in 2008 when police discovered that 37-year-old Hooman Jaffari, from Leicester, was involved in setting up one of the false collisions.

Enquiries soon lead officers to a fraudulent claims company owned by Jaffari in Birmingham, Accident Experts Limited.

Leicestershire Constabulary, working with an independent collision investigator, then discovered that the damage to the vehicles involved in the four collisions did not reflect the claims made.

Jaffari acted as the intermediary between the supposed claimants and a claims company based in Lancashire, which was unaware of the fraudulent nature of the collisions.

Jaffari and his co-conspirators netted nearly £50,000 from the scam, which would have been approximately double that figure if the police investigation had not nipped it in the bud.

By March 2010 all eight defendants had been arrested and charged.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Dave Jackson said: “This two year investigation was incredibly complex and detailed because of the large number of people involved. Without this investigation the defendants could have gained tens of thousands of pounds worth of compensation.

“Jaffari set up three of the collisions and gained the most from the scam, but all defendants had their part to play.

“I would like to thank all officers involved in this case and would also like to thank the UK Border Agency for their help and support during the investigation, which led to today’s convictions.”