A 36-year-old man from Mexico has been sentenced after participating in a healthcare/mail/wire fraud scheme in the state of Nevada and many other locations.
During one of those schemes, he broke off his own teeth with a pair of pliers.
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, illegal alien Misael Reyes-Tajimaroa staged automobile, boating and slip and fall accidents in Spokane, Washington; Liberty Lake, Washington; Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Shingle Springs, California; Rescue, California; Las Vegas; and Henderson.
He defrauded insurance companies out of approximately $4.7 million by filing fraudulent bodily injury claims. Reyes-Tajimaroa played “injured” victim, “getaway” driver or “lookout” in approximately sixteen of the phony accidents and received medical treatment for fictitious or intentionally inflicted injuries to various parts of his body. After one phony accident, Reyes-Tajimaroa was airlifted via helicopter to a hospital by first responders. As part of the staging in another accident, Reyes-Tajimaroa used pliers to break off his teeth. Reyes-Tajimaroa also conspired with others to launder money from the fraudulent insurance claims.
United States Attorney Hyslop said, “Reyes-Tajimaroa was involved in a sophisticated and elaborate fraud and money laundering scheme that operated in four different states. Fraud schemes like these ultimately increase insurance premiums and health care costs for law-abiding citizens. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington is resolute in prosecuting aggressively those individuals who may engage in such conduct. I commend the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation and U.S. Marshals Service for their outstanding work investigating this case.”
Reyes-Tajimaroa pleaded guilty to one count of healthcare fraud conspiracy, one count of mail and wire fraud conspiracy, eight counts of mail fraud, one count of wire fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and one count of money laundering. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Reyes-Tajimaroa to a 60-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 3- year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison. Judge Rice also ordered Reyes-Tajimaroa to pay restitution in the amount of $500,000.
