California Woman Sentenced to 6 Months in Federal Prison for Her Role in Staged Accident Scheme

Spokane – William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Bonnie Jean Bonney, age 77, of Placerville, California, was sentenced today after having pleaded guilty on February 13, 2019, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, five counts of mail fraud and one count of wire fraud. Chief United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Bonney to a 6-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 6-month term of home confinement and a 3-year term of court supervision after she is released from federal prison. Chief Judge Rice also ordered Bonney to pay restitution in the amount of $68,681 and forfeiture of $68,681.

According to information disclosed during court proceedings, between May 2014, and September 2016, Bonney was involved in phony automobile accidents in Shingle Springs, California, Rescue, California and Las Vegas, Nevada, that defrauded insurance companies out of $1,183,822. Bonney played “injured victim” in one of the phony accidents and “at fault” driver in another.

United States Attorney Hyslop said, “Staged accident automobile insurance fraud is not a victimless crime. It affects every driver, as fraud causes insurance rates to increase. It also distracts police and medical personnel from responding to legitimate distress calls. I commend the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation and U.S. Marshals Service for their outstanding work investigating this case.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington Criminal Healthcare Fraud Investigator, with assistance from the National Insurance Crime Bureau. This case was prosecuted by George J.C. Jacobs, III, and Brian Donovan, Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Washington.