Russian authorities in Moscow have moved to curb a long-running scheme that used staged traffic crashes to claim insurance payouts, detaining four individuals believed to be part of an organized group active since 2019. The action comes in coordination with updates from the security service of the insurance company Sogaz, which first flagged the scheme to law enforcement.
According to information released by Sogaz, the four detainees were arrested in January 2024 by officers from the Internal Affairs Department of the North-Western Administrative District’s OEBiPK, part of Moscow’s main police structure. The company disclosed that the suspects admitted their involvement and provided cooperation that aided the investigation.
Investigators established that after arranging a collision, the suspects would submit documentation linked to fake incidents to insurance carriers and receive the corresponding payments. The inquiry indicates that the group comprised 21 people and operated across Moscow and the surrounding region beginning in 2019, indicating a widespread footprint and a well-organized operation.
Earlier reports indicated some patterns in the scheme, including common automotive components defective in the staged crashes, which helped the ring secure claims from multiple insurers while maintaining plausible evidence and timelines.
Law enforcement officials emphasized the ongoing nature of the probe and highlighted the coordinated effort between police units and the security divisions of insurance firms to disrupt fraud networks. The case underscores the persistent risk of fraudulent claims in the vehicle insurance sector and the importance of rigorous verification procedures for accident-related invoices and loss documentation.