Queens DA on staged crash schemes exploiting drivers: 'Staged auto accidents had been used to fleece innocent drivers'

Melinda Katz, the Queens District Attorney, said in The New York Times that staged auto accidents have been used to exploit unsuspecting drivers. She noted that New Yorkers are increasingly outraged by such criminal tactics, which have recently come to light through dash cam evidence.

"Staged auto accidents had been used to fleece ‘innocent drivers," said Katz. "New Yorkers were ‘outraged' by such crimes. We are grateful that the initial victim came forward with shocking dash cam video of one of these collisions."

According to the Queens District Attorney’s Office, two Brooklyn men, Jaime Huiracocha and Victor Murillo, were charged with orchestrating three staged car crashes on New York City highways in 2023. Prosecutors allege that Huiracocha recruited participants by offering "thousands of dollars" and coordinated the scheme from a Brooklyn medical clinic. Murillo is accused of executing the crashes, including one targeting a 2021 Acura RDX on the Belt Parkway. Dash cam footage of that October 2023 incident went viral on TikTok with over 80 million views and helped expose the alleged scam. This led to criminal charges of reckless endangerment, insurance fraud, and conspiracy.

In one incident involving a silver Honda Civic on the Belt Parkway, Allstate Insurance received personal injury claims exceeding $79,000 from occupants. Prosecutors said this collision was allegedly staged by Murillo and involved a vehicle with a black garbage bag covering its rear window to obscure visibility. The Queens District Attorney’s Office indicates this incident is part of a broader pattern of staged collisions designed to exploit auto insurance systems, drawing increased attention from law enforcement agencies across New York City.

Legal system abuse—practices such as exaggerating claims, frivolous litigation, and excessive jury awards—is widely cited as the chief cause behind soaring auto insurance claim costs. According to a joint study by the Insurance Information Institute and the Casualty Actuarial Society, total auto claims grew by approximately $100 billion between 2013 and 2023 due to "system-exploiting legal practices," also known as legal system abuse. Reform advocates argue that addressing these systemic issues through measures like caps on noneconomic damages and streamlined claims procedures is essential for reducing insurance premiums for both consumers and businesses.

Supporters of tort reform assert that excessive litigation and unpredictable lawsuits hinder economic growth and drive up consumer costs. As noted on Wikipedia, critics argue that "litigation is an inefficient means to compensate plaintiffs" and that fear of litigation increases business costs—including insurance premiums—and can deter innovation. Tort reform efforts aim to alleviate this burden through measures like damage caps and procedural limits, which proponents say help stabilize insurance costs and promote economic stability.

Katz has served in various elected positions across New York before becoming Queens District Attorney in 2020. Known for her community-centered approach, she has prioritized public safety by focusing on gun removal, combating human trafficking, and prosecuting domestic violence.