Crash for cash fraudsters sentenced despite new 'trick'

Three men have been sentenced for a crash for cash scheme which saw a fraudster manipulating a kind gesture on the road.

Zahir Ali, Ahsan Ali, and Hussnain Ali  were sentenced at Manchester Crown Court for conspiring to deliberately cause a crash in order to claim for injuries and vehicle damage.

The case

The City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) was contacted in June 2017 by Hastings Direct about suspicions involving a crash that happened in November the year before.

Zahir Ali was driving in Rochdale and he gestured to allow a woman to pull out of a junction in front of him, even though he had right of way.

As she moved onto the road in front of him, he deliberately drove his vehicle into the victim’s car at low speed.

There was minimal damage, and witnesses said that Zahir was the only person in the car. He left the scene alone.

After the crash, Zahir contacted a vehicle recovery firm and solicitors firm. He showed photos of the damage to the owner of the vehicle recovery firm, who deemed the car ’not roadworthy’. It was later discovered that more damage was sustained after the crash in question, which caused the car to be immobile.

He submitted injury claims to the solicitors firm for himself, as well as Ahsan Ali and Hussnain Ali on their behalf.

All three attended medical appointments, claiming to be suffering from pain as a result of the crash.

The doctor felt that these injuries were all consistent with a car crash. He recommended further examination by an orthopaedic surgeon as well as six sessions of physiotherapy each.

Zahir Ali, Ahsan Ali and Hussnain Ali were interviewed voluntarily on 15 August 2017.

Zahir Ali, 23, of Albion Road, Rochdale, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, and given 100 hours community service.

Ahsan Ali, 24, of Durham Road, Bradford and Hussnain Ali, 30, of Violet Street, Halifax, were both sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years, and given 70 hours community service.

All three men were also ordered to pay £250 each in court costs. 

“Not a victimless crime”

Detective Constable Kevin Hughes of IFED said: “Zahir Ali took a kind gesture and used it to create a crash that only served his own greed and that of Ahsan and Hussnain Ali. 

“Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime. When people commit insurance fraud, it drives up insurance premiums for all consumers as fraud costs the insurance industry money.”

Paul Priestley, director of counter-fraud at Hastings Direct said: “We are committed to protecting honest customers and we are therefore very happy with the decision of the court. Fraudsters should see this as a clear message that we will take all appropriate action to pursue and deter their actions.”