In 2004 some insurance companies in Washington got several claims about car accidents that looked very suspicious. Safeco, Farmers Insurance and State Farm insurance companies called upon California Department of Insurance to find out more about the cases.

It took a year to find out it was really a fraud in which 20 ring members were involved. Most common accident had two cars on the road and one hit the other one while changing lanes. Sometimes accidents involved bodily injuries.

In the period of five years 22 fraud car wrecks were reported to various insurance companies. Although California Highway Patrol discovered a lot of members of the 25-person ring, some of them still remain free.

The leader of the ring was caught this February. Khai Van Nhin, 41, was driving a car without a license plate and was stopped by a Sheriff’s deputy. When he pulled over, instead of waiting for the police officer, Nhin tried to hide in the nearby residential area, but was found by the police dogs. Now the officials plan to put him into prison for 24 years.