Lawrence woman guilty of auto insurance fraud

Wednesday, 4th March 2009

LAWRENCE — A city woman has pleaded guilty to charges related to auto insurance fraud.

Ligia Lara, 43, was sentenced to 18 months of supervised probation Monday in Boston District Court for submitting false motor vehicle insurance claims.

Also charged was Jose Miguel Melgar, 24, of Somerville. Both Lara and Melgar pleaded guilty to charges of motor vehicle insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit motor vehicle fraud.

Lara also pleaded guilty to an additional charge of attempted larceny.

Lara and Melgar initially claimed they were innocent in November 2008.

The case against the two began after Melgar was involved in a motor vehicle accident in Everett in June 2007, while driving a vehicle owned and insured by Lara.

Melgar and Lara each later filed claims seeking payment for injuries and medical expenses as a result of the accident.

An investigation by Lara's insurance company, Plymouth Rock Assurance, confirmed that Lara was not a passenger at the time of the accident.

The case was referred to the Massachusetts Insurance Fraud Bureau, and later to Attorney General Martha Coakley's office.

Source: http://www.eagletribune.com/