Hong Kong police arrest 17 more over HK$137 million ‘crash-for-cash’ scam

Hong Kong authorities have apprehended an additional 17 individuals accused of involvement in a "crash-for-cash" scam, as they probe over 670 suspicious insurance claims totaling more than HK$137 million, according to police. Among the newly arrested is an insurance claimant who allegedly submitted 12 compensation claims worth more than HK$3 million, bringing the overall count of those detained to 55.

The Commercial Crime Bureau arrested the suspects aged between 27 and 49 between September 9 and October 7 on charges of fraud. This brings the total number of arrests related to this investigation to 55.

The police operation started after insurance companies and the public reported suspicious traffic accident compensation claims in January. They have since investigated 669 suspicious cases worth a combined HK$137 million. Preliminary investigations suggest that 461 of these cases are linked to the same law firm, and some drivers claimed they were approached for substantial compensation demands following traffic accidents.

Between February and the current month, police conducted four enforcement operations and arrested 55 people. Three of them have been charged with offences such as fraud, attempted fraud, and perverting the course of justice. The remaining 52 suspects have been released on bail, required to return to the police between the middle of this month and mid-November for further investigation.

Among those arrested earlier, a 37-year-old driver and his 38-year-old wife, a registered nurse, were charged with 20 offences, including fraud and perverting the course of justice. They failed to appear in court when the case was mentioned on June 25, leading the court to issue arrest warrants. The police will continue their efforts to tackle suspected "crash-for-cash" fraud syndicates.