Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Jaime Huiracocha and Victor Murillo are charged with staging a motor vehicle accident, reckless endangerment, conspiracy, insurance fraud and other crimes for deliberately causing three car crashes and then seeking insurance payouts for damages and purported injuries. Huiracocha allegedly planned the collisions by luring participants with promises of cash payouts while Murillo drove the vehicles involved in the crashes.

DA Katz said: “The prevalence of staged auto crimes has outraged New Yorkers. The allegations against these two defendants speaks to the core of why my Frauds Bureau dutifully investigates and prosecutes scammers who orchestrate dangerous accidents for the sole purpose of extracting money from innocent drivers. We are grateful that the initial victim came forward with shocking dashcam video of one of these collisions. After a long-term investigation with our partners at the NYPD and New York State Department of Financial Services we identified two additional defendants who are now charged for this wide-ranging scheme.”

New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) Superintendent Adrienne A. Harris said: “Insurance fraud is a costly and pervasive drain on the state’s economy and raises costs for New Yorkers. I am proud of our collaboration with the NYPD and the Queens District Attorney to hold these criminals accountable for committing fraud and causing harm to innocent New Yorkers. DFS will continue to dedicate time and resources to combat financial fraud in New York in partnership with law enforcement and prosecutors.”

Anyone who thinks they may have been a victim of insurance fraud is urged to call the Insurance Fraud Hotline at 888-372-8369 or visit dfs.ny.gov/consumers to file an online report.

Huiracocha, 53, of Milford Street in Brooklyn, and Murillo, 34, of Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn, were arraigned last night on a criminal complaint charging them with insurance fraud in the second, third and fourth degrees, three counts of staging a motor vehicle accident in the second degree, three counts of criminal mischief in the second degree, conspiracy in the fifth degree, reckless endangerment in the first degree, grand larceny in the third degree and attempted grand larceny in the second and fourth degrees.

Judge Glenda Hernandez ordered Huiracocha, to return to court on September 9 and Murillo on September 4. If convicted of the top count, they each face five to 15 years in prison.

DA Katz said that, according to the investigation and charges, on October 16, 2024, Huiracocha met with a group of individuals inside a medical clinic in East New York and allegedly gave them instructions on how to stage a car crash. The participants were told to send photos of the crash scene to a female. They were also directed to go to a different medical clinic in Glendale after the crash. In exchange, the individuals were allegedly promised thousands of dollars.

The participants then drove to a meeting location near the Belt Parkway. There were four vehicles present including a silver Honda Civic and a Red Kia. Huiracocha allegedly told the participants what vehicles to occupy. The designated drivers had headphones to communicate with one another.

Defendant Murillo was told to drive the silver Honda. The others in the Honda were given a black plastic bag/tarp and were instructed to cover the rear window after the collision so Murillo could switch seats with a passenger without being seen.

All the vehicles entered the Belt Parkway and drove until the victim’s vehicle was identified. The choice was communicated via the headphones.

At approximately 11:11 a.m., Asphia Natasha was driving north in the left lane of the Belt Parkway in Rosedale near the Nassau County border. Her vehicle was equipped with both a front and rear dashboard camera.

At that time, the Honda Civic cut in front of Natasha’s vehicle and then came to a stop. The victim was forced to step on her brakes to avoid a collision. The Honda then quickly backed into Natasha’s vehicle, damaging both her car and the Honda. The occupants of the Honda held up what appeared to be a plastic tarp in the rear window area of the car that partially obstructed the victim driver’s view inside the Honda. Then Murillo and another occupant of the Honda allegedly switched seats.

After the collision, four people exited the car including a woman who got out of the driver’s side and a man who identified himself as Maikel Martinez and said the purported driver was his wife.

The footage surrounding the crash showed a red Kia Sport following Natasha’s car. After the crash, the Kia stopped in front of the Honda and Murillo allegedly exited the Honda and entered the Kia, which then left the scene.

The Allstate Insurance Co. received a claim for damages to the Honda.

On October 3, 2024, a group of individuals traveled in a blue Nissan Xterra to a location in East New York on the promise of being paid. They then went to a second location, where Huiracocha allegedly provided directions on staging an accident. He then directed Murillo to drive the Xterra. The group in the Xterra entered the Nassau Expressway.

On October 3, at approximately 12 p.m., Alexis Mendoza reported driving his tractor trailer in the middle lane of the Nassau Expressway near Cross Bay Boulevard in Lindenwood. A Nissan Xterra, which was in the right lane, suddenly cut into the middle lane directly in front of his truck. He was unable to avoid hitting the Nissan.

Murillo allegedly got out of the Xterra and entered another vehicle that had stopped in front of the Nissan. A female claimed to Mendoza that she had been driving the Xterra. After the second car left, another car stopped at the scene and Huiracocha got out and spoke to the truck driver.

An adjustor for the Allstate Insurance Co. received personal injury claims from occupants of the Xterra totaling more than $3,000.

On August 24, 2024, at approximately 8 a.m., Alyssa Attanasio was driving westbound on the Belt Parkway near the Erskine Street exit. A silver Honda Civic merged into the lane directly in front of her and she collided with the car.

She saw what appeared to be a black garbage bag covering the back window of the Honda. Four men got out of the Honda. One of the men matched the description of Murillo.

Dashcam footage from the victim’s car allegedly captured Murillo exiting the Honda and entering a red Kia that had stopped directly in front of it after the crash.

An adjustor for the Allstate Insurance Co. received personal injury claims from occupants of the Honda totaling more than $79,000.

Defendant Martinez was charged in November and his case is pending.

The investigation was conducted by Detective James McCormack, Detective Michael Fahrbach and Sergeant Daisy Ramirez of the NYPD Fraudulent Collision Investigation Squad with Lieutenant Charles Hyland of the NYPD Criminal Enterprise Division and members of the New York State Department of Financial Services.

Assistant District Attorney Josefina Martinez, Section Chief of the Insurance Fraud Unit and Assistant Deputy Bureau Chief in the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Hana C. Kim, Acting Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Gerard Brave.