Local insurance scam ring brought down

Nine individuals have been charged with 34 felony crimes for filing false insurance claims. The ring was brought down by the district attorney's office and the California Department of Insurance, in a two-year dragnet called "Operation Persistent."

Six defendants were arrested January 31 and police are searching for one more.

According to the insurance department, the ring used several different schemes to file 34 false insurance claims for auto property damage. The ring used staged collisions, nonexistent collisions, phony auto thefts, and claims filed on autos that were previously damaged.

Defendants include Yesenia Perez, Darice Orozco, Oscar Vargas, Jesus Diego, Roberto Ramirez, Abel Ramirez, Maria Linares, Juan Augustin, and Francine Moreno.