12 charged with fraud in 'accident'

Ten people were arrested on insurance-fraud charges yesterday in what the state attorney general's office said was a staged bus accident in April 2004.

Altogether, 12 people are charged in the case, said Attorney General Tom Corbett. He said a casino bus owned by the Wertz Motor Coach Co. was rammed by a car at Berkley and Morris streets, Germantown, shortly after it left for Atlantic City.

It turned out, Corbett said, that the car was owned by a cousin of one of the bus passengers, who later filed claims for treatment of injuries. Corbett said 21 passengers were listed on the police report of the accident, but 29 filed claims with the Lancer Insurance Co., Wertz's insurer.

After the crash, the passengers were taken in the bus to the Medical College of Pennsylvania for treatment. They all claimed "soft tissue" injuries, Corbett said.

Among the defendants is Arthur Brown III, 50, the alleged leader of the group. Corbett said the bus was delayed until Brown received a cell phone call. Then, it departed and five minutes later was rammed by the car.

"This alleged scheme was an elaborate attempt to scam the Wertz Motor Coach and Lancer Insurance out of thosands of dollars," Corbett said.

"These are serious allegations that carry significant fines and jail time."

He said the total of medical bills claimed by the defendants was $29,556, of which $26,022 was actually paid.

Corbett said the car that struck the bus was owned by a cousin of Shahiedah Nicholson, 28, a passenger who claimed medical treatment totaling $4,449 for 53 alleged therapy sessions for lower back pain.

Corbett said Nicholson's sister, Shaakira Nicholson, 26, her aunt, Trina Nicholson, 42, and her aunt's husband, Antonio Tarrance, 44, also filed insurance claims, although they were not on the bus.

Also charged in the case are Anthony Vereen, 23; Anthony Dunston, 29; Keith Prather, 44, Lynwood Gresham, 23; Matasha Smith, 26; Eugene Thomas, 41, and Lakieta Allen, 32, all of Philadelphia.

They are charged with insurance fraud, theft by deception, criminal attempt to commit theft by deception, and criminal conspriacy to commit theft by deception. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine. *