Newstalk870 file image Kennewick Police
Newstalk870 Kennewick Police file image
Federal officials announced Friday, April 7, that 11 defendants have pleaded guilty to various roles in a major auto accident insurance fraud scheme.
8 of 11 accused are from Tri-Cities
Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced the pleas filed in federal court in Spokane.
According to federal court documents, between July 2017 and April 2020, the 11 defendants conspired to stage a series of fake car accidents that resulted in at least $657,812 in fraudulent insurance company payments. These stemmed from property, injury, automobile and lost wages claims. One of Tri-City’s defendants, Maria Elena Sanchez, used her position as a case manager at a WA personal injury law firm to help conduct the scam.
Tri-City’s defendants are listed below, along with the charges they face:
Ali Abed Yaser, 52, of Kennewick, Washington – conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, conspiracy to obstruct official process, making false statements to the FBI and two counts of mail fraud,
Hussein A. Yasir, age 41, of Kennewick, Washington – conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, five counts of wire fraud and five counts of mail fraud,
Maria Elena Sanchez, age 42, of Kennewick, Washington – conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, seven counts of wire fraud and three counts of mail fraud
Jesus George Sanchez, age 57, of Pasco, Washington – conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, two counts of mail fraud and one count of wire fraud
Mohammed F. Al-Himrani, 34, of Kennewick, Washington – conspiracy to commit mail and money order fraud, conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud,
Khalil Abdul-Razaq, 40, of Kennewick, Washington – conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud
Ameer R. Mohammed, 46, of Kennewick, Washington – conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud
Mohammed Naji Al-Jibory, 55, of Kennewick, Washington – conspiracy to obstruct official process.
Waldref says these defendants face a sizeable list of penalties that could include:
“20 years for each count of mail fraud and wire fraud, each count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, and each count of conspiracy to obstruct official procedures; 10 years for conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud; 5 years for fabricating testimony to the FBI and 3 years for evading a crime.”
A judge will determine the appropriate penalties on a case-by-case basis during sentencing at a later date.
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