(Woodland, CA) – March 13, 2019 – On March 11, 2019, 44-year-old West Sacramento woman, Ana Griffith, was convicted of filing a fraudulent auto insurance claim.
On April 4, 2016, Ana Griffith, filed a claim with 21st Century Insurance indicating her 1999 Range Rover had been vandalized while parked at her residence in West Sacramento. 21st Century later discovered the Range Rover had been involved in a collision on March 3, 2016, in Sacramento where Griffith had been listed as a witness to the collision in the police report. The damages Griffith reported as being caused by the vandalism were actually caused by the collision.
In May 2016, the California Department of Insurance, Fraud Division, launched an investigation into the claim that had been filed by Griffith. The California Department of Insurance believed Griffith had committed insurance fraud by reporting a false claim to 21st Century Insurance Company in hopes of receiving a benefit she was not entitled to.
The California Department of Insurance concluded Griffith had purchased the vehicle in February 2016 and the Range Rover had no existing damage at the time the vehicle had been purchased. On March 3, 2016, the Range Rover had been involved in a collision in Sacramento and on April 4, 2016, Griffith reported to 21st Century Insurance the Range Rover had been vandalized while parked at her residence in West Sacramento. The investigation revealed most of the damages Griffith reported as being caused by vandalism were actually caused by the collision that occurred on March 3, 2016.
On January 28, 2019, Griffith entered a no-contest plea to a felony violation of filing a fraudulent auto insurance claim. On March 11, 2019, the Honorable Judge Paul K. Richardson placed Griffith on three years formal probation. She was ordered to serve a total of 120 days in the county jail, and pay a restitution of $498.78 to 21st Century Insurance.
Insurance Fraud is the second most costly white-collar crime in America behind tax evasion. Insurance industry studies show that about ten percent or more of property/casualty claims are fraudulent. Add it all up and insurance fraud costs Americans billions of dollars each year. District Attorney Jeff Reisig stated that, “Filing false insurance claims and insurance fraud have an effect on the rising cost of auto insurance for everyone. We are committed to investigating and prosecuting this type of fraud in our community.”
If you suspect someone is committing Auto Insurance Fraud please contact the DA’s Fraud Hotline phone number at (855) 496-5632. Reports of suspected fraud can also be made online at www.yoloda.org. The District Attorney’s Office also has a “Fraud Reporting E-mail Address”: Fraud@yoloda.org.
###
