Page 8 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, March 1, 2024 MIDDLESEX DA: Everett Auto Body shop at center of wide-ranging $1 million-plus auto insurance scam Everett, Revere and Saugus residents charged with others in connection with three-year investigation of case D istrict Attorney Marian Ryan, Everett Chief of Police Steven Mazzie and Chief of Investigations of the Massachusetts Insurance Fraud Bureau Katherine Mulligan have announced the indictment of six individuals in connection with allegedly filing false and fraudulent insurance claims through their business, Riviera Auto Body, which is located on Bow Street in Everett. Four of the defendants have been arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court. —Fabio Rodrigo Jordao Correa, 31, of Saugus, has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit larceny over $1,200, six counts of larceny over $1,200, one count of common and notorious thief, 11 counts of false or fraudulent insurance claims and one count of identity fraud. —Jose Manuel Gordon, 49, of Roxbury, has been charged Two other individuals were indicted by the grand jury and are fugitives: —Jhon Alexander Lopera DA RYAN Logo with one count of conspiracy to commit larceny over $1,200 and one count of receiving stolen property. —Tabajara Alves Ribeiro, 23, of Saugus, has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit larceny over $1,200. —Wanda Greene, 56, of Revere, has been charged with receiving a bribe as a public employee, receiving unlawful gratuities as a public employee and receiving improper compensation as a public employee. Munera, 40, of Revere, charged with one count of conspiracy to commit larceny over $1,200, six counts of larceny over $1,200, one count of common and notorious thief, 15 counts of false or fraudulent insurance claims, one count of bribery of a public employee, one count of giving unlawful gratuities to a public employee and one count of promising or offering improper compensation to a public employee. —Edwin Alexander Lopera Munera, 33, of Pawtucket, R.I., charged with one count of conspiracy to commit larceny over $1,200. Both of those individuals are believed to have fled to Colombia. During a two-year investigation by the District Attorney’s Office, the Everett Police and the Massachusetts Insurance Fraud Bureau, authorities learned that an auto-body shop, FT Auto or Riviera Auto in Everett, was allegedly at the center of a wide-ranging scheme to defraud multiple insurance carriers. This scheme operated for multiple years and was allegedly masterminded by defendants Jhon Lopera and Fabio Correa. The defendants allegedly orchestrated the submission of scores of insurance claims for customers of the shop that defrauded the insurance carriers of in excess of $1 million in payments. The claims were false in a variety of ways: They often included descriptions of automobile collisions that had never occurred, or collisions in which the damage to the vehicles were inflated, or damage to the vehicle was done at the shop itself and was not the result of a collision. The claims also listed persons as drivers of vehicles involved in the collisions who were simply aliases of the defendants or stolen identities appropriated by the defendants for use in the fraudulent scheme. As part of the scheme, defendant Lopera allegedly cultivated a relationship with defendant Greene, who was a clerk at the RMV branch in Revere and performed RMV queries and transactions at Lopera’s request and received electronic payments and gift cards from Lopera as compensation for her services to him. **** A scheduling hearing was set for Monday, at which time a trial date and other events in the case were to be set. The Assistant District Attorney assigned to this case is Graham Van Epps. Malden Reads Community Dinner on March 20 J oin Malden Reads on Wednesday, March 20 at 6:30 p.m. for a community dinner – one of the events for this year’s featured book, “Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist,” by Judith Heumann. Dinner will be at 110 Grill at 200 Exchange St., starting at 6:30. Parking is available at the Jackson Street Garage, and 110 Grill will provide free validated parking there. The evening will begin with social time and a buffet of appetizers. Afterwards attendees will sit down, and guests will be able to order from a limited selection of main dishes. All dishes can be prepared gluten-free, and vegetarian options will be available. The restaurant is fully accessible; questions about accessibility can be directed to 110 Grill. The cost of the evening is $28, including appetizers, a main dish, tax and tip. Drinks and dessert may be purchased individually. Reservations must be made and paid for no later than March 18 by directly contacting 110 Grill at 781-605-2172. Please tell them you are with the Malden Reads dinner on March 20. You can provide your credit card number by phone or prepay with cash by visiting the restaurant in person. When you arrive for the event, you will be given a gift card to use to pay for your dinner. All are welcome! “We hope you have read the book but it is not required to attend. Being Heumann highlights the history of the disability rights moveThe Malden Reads community enjoyed dinner at an Ethiopian Restaurant. (Courtesy photo) ment in this country, and is available in book, e-book, and other formats at the Malden Public Library and for purchase at The Gallery@57 on Pleasant Street.” Through informal conversation, there will be an opportunity to discuss themes from the book, including disability awareness, hidden disabilities, the benefits of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to non-disabled people, civil rights and human rights and the power of one person working in collaboration with a team to create change. For more information about Malden Reads and to see what other events are coming up, see MaldenReads.org. For Advertising with Results, call The Advocate Newspapers at 617-387-2200 or Info@advocatenews.net
9 Publizr Home