Updated Jun 17, 2026
While most drivers assume a fender-bender is a random accident, a group of four friends in Southern California allegedly turned collisions into a calculated payday, and one uninvolved motorist paid the price.
ABC7 Los Angeles reports that four suspects were charged with felony insurance fraud on May 26, following an investigation into a coordinated staged crash insurance fraud scheme operating across the Inland Empire. According to ABC7 Los Angeles, the Save Max Quote Index consistently shows California drivers paying elevated premiums compared to national averages, a gap that schemes like this one help widen for every honest policyholder in the state.
Four Friends Charged After Alleged Coordinated Crash Scheme in Inland Empire
Four people, all allegedly acquainted, now face serious criminal charges after investigators determined they conspired to stage vehicle collisions and collect fraudulent insurance payouts.
The suspects named in the charges are:
- Jhoiner Rodriguez Celis, 31, of Anaheim
- Melissa Cervantes De La Torre, 30, of Upland
- Nailer Mendez Diaz, 35, of Anaheim
- Plata Sampayo, 28, of Upland
All four were charged with felony insurance fraud on Tuesday, May 26. They were arraigned in court the following day, Wednesday, May 27. All four were booked at the West Valley Detention Center after their arrests on March 19, 2026.
Investigators noted that the connection between the suspects was not coincidental. The four individuals involved in the crashes were friends, which became a central thread in building the case against them.
How the Scheme Allegedly Unfolded: Two Crashes, One Innocent Target
The alleged scheme involved at least two separate incidents, each distinct in how it was executed and who it harmed.
The first incident took place on June 8, 2025, in Upland. Detectives determined that the four suspects allegedly staged a collision by crashing into one another, a classic staged crash insurance fraud setup where all parties are complicit.
The second incident was more alarming.
On April 21, 2025, Sampayo and Cervantes De La Torre allegedly caused a separate collision in Montclair. This time, they targeted an innocent driver who had no connection to the scheme whatsoever.
"Staged collisions are not victimless crimes. They can leave innocent drivers physically, emotionally, and financially impacted," said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara.
That April crash escalated the legal stakes considerably. Because an uninvolved driver was deliberately targeted, the charges against those two suspects extended well beyond fraud, into assault with a deadly weapon territory.
The Multi-Agency Task Force Behind 'Operation All You Can Claim'
This case did not come together through a single agency working in isolation. It was the product of coordinated law enforcement effort.
The investigation, officially dubbed "Operation All You Can Claim," was led by the Inland Empire Automobile Insurance Fraud Task Force. That task force includes:
- The California Department of Insurance
- The California Highway Patrol
- The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office
- The Riverside County District Attorney's Office
The case originated when the Upland Police Department contacted the task force after officers suspected multiple crashes had been staged specifically for insurance payouts. From there, investigators built their case, executed search warrants, and arrested all four suspects on March 19, 2026.
One suspect brought additional legal baggage to his arrest. Sampayo already had an outstanding warrant for robbery out of Los Angeles County at the time he was taken into custody.
Charges Filed: From Felony Fraud to Assault With a Deadly Weapon
The charges filed against each suspect reflect their level of alleged involvement. The April 21 crash in Montclair, the one targeting an innocent driver, triggered the most serious additional charges.
| Jhoiner Rodriguez Celis | 31 | Anaheim | Yes | No |
| Nailer Mendez Diaz | 35 | Anaheim | Yes | No |
| Melissa Cervantes De La Torre | 30 | Upland | Yes | Yes |
| Plata Sampayo | 28 | Upland | Yes | Yes |
Cervantes De La Torre and Sampayo face the assault charge exclusively in connection with the April 21 collision. That single incident, where a driver with no ties to the scheme was deliberately targeted, elevated the case from insurance fraud into violent crime territory.
What this means for you
If you drive in California, staged crash insurance fraud is not an abstract problem. Protect yourself by documenting every collision scene immediately with photos and video, noting the behavior of other drivers involved, and reporting anything suspicious to your insurer without delay. If you suspect a staged crash, contact the California Department of Insurance directly. The SMQI tracks how fraud-driven claims pressure flows through to consumer premiums in states like California, and for California drivers reviewing their auto insurance options, understanding what inflates your rate is the first step toward finding a better one.
Investigators Warn: More Victims May Still Be Unknown
The California Department of Insurance has made clear that this investigation is not necessarily complete.
Investigators believe there may be additional victims who were unknowingly involved in staged crashes with these suspects, people who experienced what they thought was an ordinary accident and never realized they had been targeted.
Anyone who believes they may have been involved in a collision with any of the defendants, or who suspects a staged collision, is urged to contact the California Department of Insurance at 909-919-2200.
If you were in a collision in the Inland Empire area and something felt off, the other driver seemed unusually calm, other passengers appeared quickly, or the impact did not match the damage, investigators want to hear from you. That phone number, 909-919-2200, connects directly to the California Department of Insurance.
About Taleah McGuire
Taleah McGuire is a Regional Analyst at Save Max Auto with 11+ years of insurance experience including senior roles at Kentucky Farm Bureau. She covers regulatory news, state-specific reform legislation, and traditional carrier coverage. Read more from Taleah McGuire →
Edited by Kyle Greenwood.
Methodology
This article is grounded in the source linked above. Save Max Auto data points referenced here are drawn from the Save Max Quote Index (SMQI), a proprietary instrument reflecting 3,364,317 real consumer quote requests submitted to savemaxauto.com. State and carrier rankings reflect the lifetime dataset; year-over-year shifts reflect a rolling 12-month window. The index is refreshed monthly. External authority figures referenced (NAIC, NHTSA, state regulators) reflect the most recent public data releases available at time of writing.
Sources
- Primary source: ABC7 Los Angeles, "4 suspects arrested, accused of staging Inland Empire crashes in alleged insurance fraud scheme"