By Lottie Twyford
A Canberra man has been sentenced to prison for orchestrating a staged car crash to collect a significant insurance payout.
Adam Hasan Kilani deliberately crashed his BMW convertible into an Audi owned by co-defendants Rabea Fares, 48, and his wife Lina Faris, 44, on Eucumbene Drive in Duffy in 2020. Court documents reveal that Kilani aimed to claim over $130,000, as his vehicle was “over-insured.”
Kilani pleaded guilty to attempting to obtain a financial advantage by deception and to a charge of dangerous driving. Earlier this year, Fares and Faris received two-year sentences for their involvement in the insurance fraud, with Faris allowed to serve her time in the community.
Initially, Kilani claimed his sister was driving and that the Audi was moving at the time of the crash. However, an expert analysis disproved his account, establishing that the Audi was stationary during the collision.
In his ruling, Acting Chief Justice David Mossop described Kilani’s BMW as “very substantially over-insured.” He had purchased the vehicle for $25,000 but had it insured for an agreed value of $132,100. Comparatively, similar vehicles were valued between $32,000 and $42,000, according to pricing data.
Kilani filed an insurance claim the day after the accident and initially denied knowing Fares. However, phone records revealed that they were acquaintances who had worked together on several painting jobs and had communicated shortly before the crash.
Justice Mossop characterized the crash as premeditated, stating that Kilani’s account of the incident was “vague and unlikely.” He criticized the nature of the crash, indicating it diverted emergency resources and undermined the integrity of the motor vehicle insurance system.
Ultimately, Kilani was sentenced to 17 months in prison, starting in August, with the possibility of suspension after eight months if he enters a two-year good behavior bond.