Kennewick man gets 42 months for insurance fraud scheme
STAFF REPORT | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years, 9 months AGO
SPOKANE — A Kennewick man has been sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison for his role in a complex scheme involving staging fake automobile accidents to defraud insurance companies, making false statements to federal law enforcement and attempting to obstruct a federal investigation, according to a statement released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Friday.
Ali Abed Nasser, 52, pleaded guilty to the charges in 2022. In addition to the prison time, Nasser also agreed to three years of court-ordered supervision following the completion of his sentence, forfeiture of nearly $20,000 and financial restitution of roughly $127,000, the press release noted.
Nasser also attempted to bribe someone he suspected was a federal informant in order to stop the investigation and make the case go away, the press release said.
“Staged accidents make our streets dangerous and distract police from responding to legitimate distress calls,” wrote Vanessa Waldorf, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, in a press release. “Moreover, efforts to hinder federal criminal proceedings will not be tolerated.”
“We will continue to work closely with our federal and state law enforcement, and private industry, partners to investigate fraud schemes,” Waldorf added.
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Connell woman killed in Booker Road crash
CONNELL — Charges are pending against a Kennewick man following a collision about 12 miles south of Othello that killed a Connell woman and injured three other people Tuesday evening. A Washington State Patrol press memo said intoxicating substances were a factor. Jessica Zarate, 37, Connell, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash near the intersection of SR 17 and South Booker Road, the WSP memo said. She was driving south on Booker Road approaching the intersection when her car was hit by a pickup driven by John Reiss, 62, Kennewick. Edgar Garcia Quirino, 28, Othello, was driving north on SR 17 and ran into Zarate's car, the WSP memo said. The crash occurred at about 6:40 p.m.
Wheeler Road closed because of traffic collision
UPDATE: The road was reopened as of noon, according to a GCSO media release. MOSES LAKE — Grant County Sheriff’s Office has announced there is a road closure between Road 3-NE and Road S-NE. There was a serious traffic collision. GCSO is asking for drivers to avoid the area and find alternative routes. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Doors opening: The Currents will provide homeownership for more local workers
About 104 homes are planned at the former Atlas sawmill site
Teachers, nurses, firefighters and other workers who keep Coeur d’Alene running will soon have more places to buy a home in the community where they work. About 104 homes are being planned to be built at Atlas Waterfront, on roughly 10 acres that are part of a swath of land that was once home to the Atlas sawmill and is being redeveloped. Ignite CDA, the city of Coeur d’Alene’s urban renewal agency, is leading this effort.