Mass. Man Pleads Guilty

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston, Anthony Snow of Dorchester, Mass., entered a guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Patti B. Saris to charges involving six counts of mail fraud and three counts of wire fraud. He was accused of being a key participant in a scheme to defraud insurance companies involving staged auto accidents.

Prosecutors told the court that on multiple occasions over a period of years, Snow and others engaged in a scheme in which they would falsely claim that vehicles (often rented trucks) were involved in accidents. Snow often used false documents, including fraudulent driver’s licenses and bogus automobile registrations, in order to obtain payments from insurance companies.

In a particular incident “Tony Robinson” obtained a $5,000 insurance check after claiming that his Mercury was struck by a rented vehicle operated by “Anthony Russell.” Snow admitted that he actually used both of these names, and thus collected for an accident he had with himself. Prosecutors also told how Snow arranged an accident involving a Cadillac and a rented truck. Law enforcement officers were conducting surveillance of Snow on the date of the alleged accident and observed both of these vehicles parked in front of his residence at the time that the alleged accident occurred.

Snow and others obtained over $200,000 through these schemes between 1997 and 2003. Snow faces up to 20 years in prison and fines.