Texas Auto Body Shop Owner Get 2 Years for Insurance Fraud

The owner of an auto body shop in San Antonio, Texas has been sentenced to two years in jail for cashing insurance claim checks without fixing the car he was being paid to repair.

The Texas Department of Insurance said Arturo Martinez pleaded guilty to two counts of felony forgery and securing the execution of a document by deception. He will also have to pay a $2,000 fine and return more than $21,000 in restitution.

TDI fraud prosecutor Nicole Thornbro said the car was taken to Martinez’s shop after an accident. The insurance company issued a check for repairs made out to both the car owner and the body shop. Thornbro says that gives the car owner a chance to sign-off on the work. Instead, Martinez forged the car owner’s signature and deposited the check, without making any repairs.

Source: TDI