A St. Louis, Missouri man who allegedly defrauded insurance companies by staging vehicle accidents and injuries was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered him to pay $107,951 in restitution, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri announced.

From September 2021 to January 2023, Adrian Peebles staged auto accidents, usually at night and in remote areas to minimize his chances of getting caught. Peebles nearly always claimed to have been injured and went to the emergency room complaining of “pain that required expensive tests that never identified any particular injury,” according to his plea agreement.

Peebles insisted that the resulting payments from the vehicle insurance companies be made to him rather than the hospital and then did not pay his medical bills. His scheme cost two insurance companies $107,951.

Peebles, now 32, pleaded guilty in January to one count of mail fraud.

The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware prosecuted the case.

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