Insurance fraud: 11 held for 'faking car accidents' in UAE

Sharjah - All of the accused have denied the charges.

A gang of 11, including Arabs and Asians, have been accused of 'faking traffic accidents' in order to embezzle money from insurance companies.
In a court hearing, presided over by Hussain Alousovi, the accused have denied the accusation.
Sharjah police learnt that the 11 accused managed to embezzle money from insurance companies by claiming that their cars were involved in accidents.
The first accused, facing 10 charges, gave the two accused A.H. and H.H. money in November last year to write fake traffic accidents reports and forge traffic accidents receipts - providing them to two insurance companies to claim insurance money from them.
As part of their modus operandi, they also used to inform the Sharjah Police about the accidents and submitted forged car registration documents with changed numbers.
They forged registration numbers of cars owned by other people or banks.
They were also accused of damaging cars owned by rental cars offices.
The second accused was charged for assisting the first suspect to write-off the traffic accidents reports, forging cars registrations, providing false information about 'fake' traffic accidents.
The second accused A.M. - worked for a traffic management system company.
The third accused, who worked for the same company, was charged of forging documents and submitting forged reports to get compensation from insurance companies and damaging cars. He denied the accusation, claiming that he was a student and did not know the suspects                       
The other eight accused were charged with offering bribes, forging documents and embezzling from insurance companies.
The suspects were charged for submitting forged traffic accident reports to traffic and licensing department to get new chassis numbers and taking registered cars.
The two Asian gang members - who worked for a garage in Sharjah - have been accused of  forging car documents, changing the chassis of cars and amending car mortgages.
All of the accused have denied the charges.
The defence lawyer has requested the court to release them on bail.
The judge has ordered the arrest of 7 of the accused, who were released on bail.
The case has been adjourned.
amira@khaleejtimes.com

• Sharjah