MLB star arrested over alleged insurance coverage fraud

A former professional baseball participant has been arrested and charged with insurance coverage fraud.

Yuniesky Betancourt, a former shortstop for the Milwaukee Brewers, was one in every of 4 folks arrested and charged within the case in Florida’s Miami-Dade County.

Betancourt, who’s being represented by the general public defender’s workplace, is presently free on bond.

“It doesn’t matter how intelligent you assume your scheme could also be, if you happen to commit fraud in Florida, you’ll be caught and dropped at justice,” stated Florida Chief Monetary Officer Jimmy Patronis. “Staging accidents is extremely harmful, and fraud like this prices each Floridian within the type of larger auto insurance coverage premiums. We should proceed to work collectively to do every part we will to uncover these fraud schemes and convey these rip-off artists to justice.”

In line with DFS investigators, Betancourt – together with alleged accomplices Abel Vera, Nancy Mercedes Pena, and Maura Perez – staged a crash in Miami in December of 2022. After reporting the accident to the police and the car’s insurer, Kemper Insurance coverage, the 4 allegedly sought therapy and bodily remedy for accidents they didn’t truly maintain.

Kemper Insurance coverage was billed greater than $61,000 and paid out greater than $22,800 for remedy, to which not one of the 4 had been entitled, the DFS stated.

After performing an accident reconstruction and gathering knowledge from a car occasion knowledge recorder, investigators concluded that the accident by no means occurred as reported to the police and Kemper Insurance coverage, the DFS stated.

If convicted on all prices, every of the 4 alleged conspirators may serve as much as 10 years in jail, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

Along with the Milwaukee Brewers, Betancourt performed for the Kansas Metropolis Royals and the Seattle Mariners. He spent 9 seasons within the main leagues and made nearly $16 million in profession earnings, based on the Journal Sentinel.

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