| For Immediate Release Case # 09CF1903 October 25, 2012 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami
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THREE FRIENDS SENTENCED FOR STAGING AUTO COLLISION AND FRAUDULENTLY FILING INSURANCE CLAIM
*Two co-defendants in this case were previously convicted and were sentenced
SANTA ANA – Three friends were convicted and sentenced today for their roles in staging an auto collision and fraudulently filing an insurance claim with Infinity Insurance Company (Infinity) and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm). Phuong Nhu Nguyen, 31, Westminster, pleaded guilty to one felony count of insurance fraud and was sentenced to three years of formal probation, 90 days in jail stayed pending completion of 240 hours of community service.
Hoai Van Nguyen, 60, Huntington Beach, pleaded guilty to one felony count each of insurance fraud and grand theft and was sentenced to three years of formal probation and 120 days in jail. Hoai Nguyen’s Wife, Tracy Phuong Nguyen, 53, Huntington Beach, pleaded guilty to one felony count of insurance fraud and was sentenced to three years of formal probation and 120 days in jail.
Co-defendant David Pham, 74, Westminster, pleaded guilty Jan. 12, 2010, to one felony count of insurance fraud and was sentenced to three years of formal probation and 90 days in jail. Tony Nguyen, 56, Westminster, pleaded guilty May 6, 2011, to one felony count each of insurance fraud and capping and two felony counts of grand theft. Tony Nguyen was sentenced to three years of formal probation and 120 days in jail.
“I would like to commend the detectives of the California Department of Insurance – Fraud Division – Orange County office and agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their hard work in the joint investigation of this case,” said Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones. “I also wish to thank the Orange County District Attorney’s prosecutor for bringing this case to a successful end.”
At approximately 10:30 p.m. on June 13, 2008, Tony Nguyen drove a 1995 Nissan sedan with Phuong Nguyen in the passenger seat. Tony Nguyen pulled out in front of a 1990 Nissan Maxima occupied by driver Tracy Nguyen, her husband Hoai Nguyen, and friend David Pham in the back seat. Tony Nguyen and Hoai Nguyen purposely drove their vehicles at slow speeds side-by-side so they touched at the intersection of Brookhurst Street and Larson Avenue in Garden Grove.
They pulled over and exchanged information. No medical personnel or police were called to the scene. Tony Nguyen referred the four co-defendants to the Law Offices of Walter Martinez and the Law Office of Tung T. Pham. On June 16, 2008, all five defendants filed an insurance claim for bodily injury and vehicle damage with Infinity and State Farm totaling over $60,000.
On June 30, 2008, during a recorded statement to Infinity, the five defendants stated that they did not know the occupants in the other vehicle before the collision. On July 11, 2008, during another recorded statement taken by Infinity, Tracy Nguyen, Hoai Nguyen, and David Pham stated that they did not know the driver or the passenger in the car that hit them.