The California Department of Insurance (CDI) announced on February 18, 2025, that an investigation into auto insurance fraud across Southern California has resulted in the arrest of 16 individuals. The alleged scheme exploited car accident victims in the Inland Empire, with tow truck companies reportedly holding vehicles hostage in exchange for large cash payments.
The investigation began in November 2022 after a California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer contacted the Inland Empire Automobile Insurance Task Force while assisting a victim of a “bandit tow” to locate their vehicle, according to a CDI statement. The officer had noticed irregularities which prompted further investigation.
Investigators discovered that Rosa Isela Santistevan, 56, of Irvine, a non-sworn employee of the CHP, allegedly sold traffic collision reports. These reports contained personal information about accident victims and were allegedly sold to the ringleader, Andre Angelo Reyes, 37, of Corona.
Reyes then allegedly passed the reports to Esmeralda Parga, 27, of Pomona, who would impersonate the insurance company and contact the accident victims. Authorities claim she would then coordinate to have the vehicles towed to specific repair centers, falsely claiming they were authorized by the insurance provider.
Tow truck drivers from JR Tow in Los Angeles and B&M Tow in La Verne allegedly participated in the scheme, picking up vehicles in Riverside County and towing them to Certified Auto in Buena Park, owned by Anthony Gomez, 36, of Jurupa Valley. It is not immediately known whether these tow trucks were part of legitimate businesses or if the drivers were operating independently.
Once at Certified Auto, the vehicles were held until the insurance companies paid a cash ransom to have them released. The American Automobile Association reported multiple auto claims where a group of companies were transporting insured vehicles to body shops, then retaining them until a large cash payment was made.
Search warrants revealed evidence indicating the ring was involved in other types of insurance fraud, including collusive collisions. Similar schemes were allegedly carried out in 2024 in San Bernardino County, involving two California Collision locations in Ontario and Montclair.
According to the task force, the ring illegally collected over $216,932. The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office has also charged Reyes and Diana Villa Pineda, 34, of Corona, with tax evasion totaling $136,408.
To avoid falling victim to similar scams, the CDI advises drivers to be aware of the following warning signs:
- A tow truck arriving within minutes of an accident, even before one is requested.
- The tow truck driver specifying the body shop to where the vehicle will be taken, rather than asking the driver’s preference.
- The tow truck driver telling the driver that someone will contact them, or asking them to sign documents.
- The tow truck driver requesting a rideshare for the driver.
Drivers who believe they have been targeted by this type of scheme should verify the tow truck’s legitimacy with their insurance company or wait for CHP verification that the tow truck was dispatched by the department.
