I-TEAM: Man pleads guilty in staged car crash scheme

Juan Santana, 39, sentenced to 18 months in prison, 6 months probation

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The owner of three Jacksonville pain clinics pleaded guilty to fraud charges in an ongoing investigation into staged car crashes, in which so-called victims filed bogus personal injury protection claims for rehab treatment they never received.

The I-TEAM has been following this investigation for more than a year. Arrests in these cases have led to more than 115 convictions of people involved in this insurance scheme.

The latest guilty plea was entered last week by 39-year-old Juan Santana, who was arrested in 2015.

Prosecutors said he and his wife co-owned several Jacksonville treatment centers that were opened to facilitate the fraudulent insurance claims.

According to prosecutors, Santana owned the Atlas Massage Therapy Corporation, the Health Point Injury Center and the Saint Jose Injury Center.

Santana admitted to duping insurance companies to pay out more than $50,000 in bogus claims.

He was sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by six years of probation. 

Undercover agents with the Division of Insurance Fraud said this was a complex fraudulent operation that also has ties to similar crimes committed in Miami and Tampa. Santana was identified in at least seven false insurance claims resulting in more than $50,000 in payments. 


About the Authors:

Tarik anchors the 4, 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. weekday newscasts and reports with the I-TEAM.