New Jersey

Delaware County Body Shop Smashes Cars, Workers Face Fraud Charges: DA

An auto body shop owner and 10 other people are facing felony charges after a four-year probe unveiled their elaborate insurance fraud scheme, police said.

Frank Wilson, 45, of Middletown, Delaware along with the 10 other suspects are accused of defrauding insurance companies out of $85,000.

Wilson is the owner of Transformers Collision Specialist on Summit Street in Darby Borough.

The investigation began in June, 2011 when an informant reported to police that Wilson was committing insurance fraud by intentionally damaging vehicles and then profiting from the insurance claims.

The informant told police Wilson would meet with customers and give them an estimate for their damaged vehicles. He then allegedly took the vehicles to an empty garage on the 800 block of Summit Street, across the street from the Darby Borough Police Department, and drive the vehicles into a pole or beam to cause further damage before an insurance adjuster could examine the vehicles.

Wilson also allegedly used a fork lift to damage the vehicles.

After the insurance claim was approved and paid, Wilson would fix the damage at a lower cost and keep the remaining balance of the insurance money, investigators said. Wilson also allegedly paid a third party a percentage of the profits if they had recommended the customer to him.

During one case, Vernon White, the driver of a Mercedes Benz that was owned by his girlfriend Shakeya Miles, reported he was the victim of a hit-and-run accident on June 8, 2011, police said.

White and three passengers inside the Mercedes all reported a pickup truck had struck the vehicle and fled the scene to Progressive Insurance and Philadelphia Police, according to officials. However, a surveyor hired by Progressive Insurance determined the damage to the Mercedes was not consistent with what a pickup truck would have caused, officials said.

Police say surveillance video showed the same Mercedes park in front of the garage owned by Wilson on Summit Street on June 7, 2011, the day before the reported accident. The next morning, detectives say Wilson drove the Mercedes out of the garage at 9:39 a.m. and then back in at 10:05 a.m. At that time there was no damage to the driver's side of the vehicle, officials said.

Less than an hour later however, when White arrived to pick up the Mercedes from the garage, detectives noticed extensive damage to the entire driver's side of the vehicle, police said. In All, Progressive Insurance paid out $13,757 for the repairs to the Mercedes.

Wilson is charged with insurance fraud, attempted theft by deception, criminal mischief, receiving stolen property and other related offenses. The following people are also charged in connection to the insurance fraud scheme:

Vernon White, 34, of Philadelphia

Shakeya Miles, 32, of Cherry Hill, NJ

Nicole Walton, 41, of Philadelphia

Pamela Fields, 51, of Philadelphia

Letisha Johnson, 44, of Philadelphia

Tywana Neal, 36, of King of Prussia

Adiaha Bell, 32, of Philadelphia

Conchetta Edwards, 58, of Philadelphia

Jamar Grant, 27, of Philadelphia

Ashely Wilson, 26, of Darby Township

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