WEST JORDAN, Utah, Dec. 22, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — A Holladay man charged last year with causing 22 car crashes so he could collect insurance money has been sentenced.
Navid Monjazeb, 37, who admitted guilt as part of a plea deal that lessened charges, was sentenced this week to:
- 120 days in jail
- 36 months of probation
- Payment of more than $56,000 in restitution to six insurance companies
- Payment of $10,000 to the fraud division of Utah’s Department of Insurance
A plea deal allowed Monjazeb to admit to reduced charges: four counts of wrongful appropriation, a third-degree felony. Once restitution is paid, the Utah Attorney General’s Office has agreed to reduce those convictions to misdemeanors.
Monjazeb was charged in January of 2016 with:
- A pattern of unlawful activity, a second-degree felony
- Twelve counts of fraudulent insurance act, a third-degree felony
- Two counts of forgery, a third-degree felony
- Seven counts of reckless endangerment, a Class A misdemeanor
According to a probable cause statement, Monjazeb was charged after investigators noticed a pattern of similar accidents and circumstances. In many cases, victims reported they were changing lanes when the defendant’s vehicle came in contact with their rear side panel, resulting in minimal damage.
Almost all accidents happened in the Salt Lake Valley, and many happened in the same location.
“Interviews with the victims showed that the defendant would aggressively assert that the victim was at fault, insist that police not be called, and demand payment in cash,” the probable cause statement says. “The defendant would also intimidate the victims into signing statements he prepared asserting that they were at fault. When police were called, the victim was placed at fault based on the assertions of the defendant.
“However, most victims related the same narrative, that the defendant’s vehicle was not near them and then suddenly he would move his vehicle forward as they attempted to change lanes, resulting in the accident.”
Between January of 2010 and December of 2015, the 22 accidents were reported. Photos sent to insurance adjusters often depicted far more damage than was done at the accident scene, the statement said.
“The investigation revealed that the defendant was submitting claims for the accidents against insurance carriers, and received roughly $1,200 to $4,500 per claim…. In total, the defendant was paid $55,925.30 by insurance carriers alone.”
