Sacramento California Insurance Fraud Case

On March 25, 2008, Ninfa Ramos-Ortiz was arrested on 3 felony insurance fraud counts.  The next day Ana Salgado-Antunez was also brought in on 5 felony insurance fraud charges followed by Ramos-Ortiz’s son, Julio Ramos-Alarcon, arrested on 6 felony insurance fraud charges.  This began with a theft reported by Ana.  She claimed she last saw her 2006 Nissan Armada on July 19, 2007, when she parked it at Ramos-Ortiz’s home. Salgado-Antunez stated that she and Ramos-Alarcon discovered the vehicle was stolen the next morning. Salgado-Antunez contacted the local police department and filed a theft report. She also reported the occurance to her insurance agent.  However, the criminal investigation conducted by CDI and the California Highway Patrol revealed that Salgado-Antunez, the primary driver, was behind on her payments and the vehicle was also having mechanical problems. She and Ramos-Alarcon believed that they could no longer afford to keep the vehicle, so they paid another individual to dispose of it in Mexico. Once the vehicle made it to Mexico, it was then turned over to Cruz, who then delivered the vehicle to a partners chop shop.

Each felony insurance fraud charge is punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a $50,000 fine.

Although no money was paid on the claim, because Mercury Insurance learned of the crime, the potential loss was over $27,000.