MLB star arrested for alleged insurance fraud | Insurance business America
Ex-Florida ballplayer in court after DFS investigation
Insurance News
By Ryan Smith
A former professional baseball player has been arrested and charged with insurance fraud.
Yuniesky Betancourt, a former shortstop for the Milwaukee Brewers, was one of four people arrested and charged in the case in Miami-Dade County, Florida.
Betancourt, who is being represented by the public prosecutor’s office, is currently out on bail.
“It doesn’t matter how clever you think your plan is, if you commit fraud in Florida, you will be caught and brought to justice,” said Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. “Staging accidents is incredibly dangerous, and scams like this are costing every Floridian higher car insurance premiums. We must continue to work together to do everything in our power to uncover these fraudulent schemes and bring these fraudsters to justice.”
According to DFS investigators, Betancourt – along with alleged accomplices Abel Vera, Nancy Mercedes Pena and Maura Perez – staged an accident in Miami in December 2022. After he reported the accident to police and car insurer Kemper Insurance, the four allegedly sought treatment and physical therapy for injuries they did not sustain.
According to DFS, Kemper Insurance was billed more than $61,000 and paid out more than $22,800 for therapy to which none of the four were entitled.
After reconstructing the accident and collecting data from a vehicle event data recorder, investigators concluded that the accident never occurred as reported to police and Kemper Insurance, the DFS said.
If convicted on all counts, each of the four alleged conspirators could face up to 10 years in prison, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
In addition to the Milwaukee Brewers, Betancourt played for the Kansas City Royals and the Seattle Mariners. He spent nine seasons in the major leagues and earned nearly $16 million in his career, according to the Journal Sentinel.
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2024-04-16 17:25:39
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