Thu Feb 23 2012Wendy Gillis and Josh Tapper
Staff Reporters
A lengthy investigation into a multi-million dollar auto-insurance scam led to the arrest of 37 people Thursday, many in the South Asian community, with police cracking down on an escalating problem that’s made the GTA Canada’s phony collision capital.
In early morning raids across the GTA — part of an investigation dubbed Project Whiplash — police arrested dozens, laying a total of 130 charges stemming from 77 collisions police say were staged and have helped send insurance premiums skyrocketing in the province. Additional arrests are expected.
“The victims of this crime are all of us who operate motor vehicles,” said Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair at a news conference to announce the arrests.Auto insurance fraud costs Ontario drivers as much as $1.3 billion per year, between 10 and 15 per cent of all premiums, according to a recent report by the Auditor General of Ontario.
Toronto police Chief Bill Blair said the arrests in an alleged car insurance scam on Thursday were a “very important result for every citizen of Ontario,” since insurance fraud increases premiums province-wide. Full Story>>>
