According to NJ.com, 25-year-old John D. Johnson of Jersey City, NJ has officially been charged in not one, but TWO auto insurance scams.
The first scam began just over a year ago, when Johnson falsely reported to his insurance company that his Pontiac G8 was stolen in Jersey City on October 30th, 2017, according to the Husdon County Prosecutor’s Office. The vehicle was recovered by law enforcement the very same day. However, the engine, transmission, and multiple seats were missing.
NJ.com reported that, “The insurance company notified authorities, who eventually charged him with second-degree insurance fraud. The charge alleges five acts of fraud – fabricating the stolen vehicle claim and the removal of the engine, transmission and seats from his vehicle for the benefit of at least $1,000.”
Johnson didn’t stop there, as not long after his original stolen vehicle claim was denied by his insurance company, he purchased a Cadillac CTS, collided with several parked cars on May 22nd, 2018, and THEN purchased a new auto policy for the Cadillac. On May 23rd, 2018, one day following, he filed an accident claim, according to Ray Worrall, spokesman for the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office.
Authorities quickly caught up with Johnson, as he surrendered to the 2017 charges on July 31st, 2018 and was subsequently released. He was officially charged for the second insurance scam on August 30th, 2018, and first appeared in court for the charges early last month on September 5th, 2018.