Norwich Resident Admits Role in Insurance Fraud Scheme

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CARLINS CALIXTE, 32, of Norwich, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud stemming from his involvement in an insurance fraud scheme.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between April 2011 and February 2014, CALIXTE and others conspired to stage approximately 50 car crashes in southeastern Connecticut for the purpose of defrauding automobile insurance companies and enriching themselves.  A high percentage of these planned crashes were single-vehicle accidents on remote roads where there were no witnesses other than the occupants of the crashed vehicle.  After each staged accident, the defendants filed fraudulent property damage and bodily injury claims with various automobile insurance companies.  They then collected payouts on the fraudulent claims from the victim insurance companies.  These payouts typically ranged from about $10,000 to about $30,000 per accident.

In pleading guilty, CALIXTE admitted his personal involvement in at least seven staged crashes.  After each crash, CALIXTE either filed a fraudulent property damage or bodily injury claim with his or another participant’s automobile insurance provider, or he aided and abetted other participants in their submission of fraudulent claims.

CALIXTE were arrested on May 23 and is released on bond.  He is a citizen of Haiti and a lawful permanent resident of the U.S.

Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for September 30, 2016, at which time CALIXTE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. 

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Norwich Police Department and the National Insurance Crime Bureau, with the assistance of the Mohegan Tribal Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi M. Perry.