Miami, Fla. — Three women were arrested Monday at the Wise Care Corp. clinic in northwest Miami-Dade on charges including racketeering, grand theft, and filing fraudulent insurance claims. The women — Heidy Gonzalez-Perez, 26, Elizabeth Montero, 45, and Maray Arteaga, 39 — allegedly participated in an elaborate scheme where they staged automobile accidents, recruited patients, and submitted false claims to insurance companies for treatments that were never provided.
The investigation began after two individuals, Cynthia Reyes and Yamil Peniche-Lugo, were arrested in July for staging an accident. Despite their arrests, an insurance claim was later filed, leading authorities to the Wise Care Corp. clinic. Detective Andre Martin explained that patients were recruited to sign pre- or post-dated medical forms, which were then submitted to insurers, inflating the clinic’s profits.
Miami-Dade Police launched a pilot program in March aimed at combating insurance fraud, resulting in 104 arrests since its inception. The department’s efforts focus on dismantling a network involving clinics, attorneys, and body shops that often work together to stage accidents and defraud insurers. Lt. Lazaro Torres, who leads the initiative, noted that such fraud significantly drives up insurance rates for consumers.
Florida is ranked among the top three states for insurance fraud, with over 1,100 staged accidents reported annually. According to Mark Friedlander of the Insurance Information Institute, Miami has consistently ranked high in staged accident volumes, contributing to higher insurance premiums statewide.