Three former body shop workers from Chicago admitted to staging fake accidents in exchange for kickbacks from a GEICO claims adjuster, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Adam Wiktorczyk, Tomasz Klepka and Stanislaw Szczerbinski, who worked at the former AAAA Auto Care, pleaded guilty March 1 to submitting false claims to GEICO.
The trio was accused of staging fake crashes using salvage vehicles purchased at auction so shop owner Jan Wiktorczyk could collect on false accident claims, according to court documents.
GEICO claims adjuster Alexis Santana submitted false insurance appraisals for the fake accidents in exchange for bribes, according to court papers. Santana would then give a $500 check from GEICO to cover bodily injuries from the faked accidents.
Adam Wiktorczyk and Klepka are to be sentenced in June. Szczerbinski, who had been in federal custody, was released for time served after making his plea, according to a U.S. Attorney’s spokeswoman.