Vaughan, Ontario man charged following $63,000 insurance fraud investigation

Just days after the York Regional Police (YRP) announced that they have laid charges in connection with an alleged staged collision in the Township of King, Ont., police said on Monday that they have charged a 36-year-old Vaughan man in connection with insurance fraud and are seeking additional victims.

The YRP said in a press release that Adeniyi Rafael Kayode has been charged with fraud over $5,000, unauthorized use of credit card data and laundering proceeds of a crime. Kayode is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Newmarket on May 5. Investigators with the YRP Major Fraud Unit charged Kayode on April 6 and “believe there may be further victims and are asking them to come forward,” YRP said in the release.

On Oct. 28, 2015, officers began an investigation after receiving a report of a financial fraud, YRP reported. The investigation revealed that false identities and stolen credit cards were used to fraudulently obtain automotive and home insurance policies. Payments were made on those policies using stolen credit cards. Money from subsequent insurance claims was then deposited into fraudulent bank accounts controlled by the accused and the money was later transferred from the fraudulent accounts, directly to him. These frauds are valued at $63,000, YRP said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Major Fraud Unit at 1-866-876-5423, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, leave an anonymous tip online at www.1800222tips.com, or text a tip to CRIMES (274637) starting with the word YORK.

Related: IBC congratulates police for laying charges in staged collision investigation in Ontario township

In the Township of King incident, investigators with the YRP Major Collision Investigation Unit laid charges against Fatin Elias, 46; Jourjeet Shahara, 52; Samid Shehara, 47; and Salam Shehara, 34; all of Toronto. They were charged with fraud over $5,000; conspiracy to commit an indictable offence; false pretence; uttering forged documents; public mischief; and obstructing police, the YRP said in a statement on April 6.

On Sunday, Jan. 10 at 8:30 p.m., YRP were called to a hit-and-run collision in the intersection of Weston Road and Lloydtown-Aurora Road where injuries were reported, police said in the statement. When officers arrived, they found a damaged Volvo station wagon in the intersection, with two female occupants that were complaining of injuries. The occupants of the vehicle had to be extricated by firefighters and were taken to hospital. The injured driver told police that she had driven into the intersection when her vehicle was struck by a white truck that fled the scene.

As part of the investigation, officers obtained video surveillance of the intersection from a nearby business which indicated the collision had been staged and that no hit-and-run had taken place. The accused were also involved in submitting fraudulent claims to their insurance company.