Three people are facing more than 50 fraud charges, following joint investigations between NSW Police and a number of insurance companies.

In June this year, police attached to Burwood Local Area Command formed Strike Force Ashwell to investigate allegations of a racket which involved coordinating motor vehicle collisions and the lodging of false insurance claims.

Police believe the fraudulent insurance claims in connection with the racket amount to more than $500,000. Joint investigations between police and a number of private insurance companies led detectives to arrest a 30-year-old man at a business in Burwood on Monday 11 November 2013.

He was later charged with 18 counts of fraud relating to alleged staged or nonexistent motor vehicle accidents. He was granted conditional bail and will appear at Burwood Court on Tuesday 14 January 2014. On Tuesday 26 November 2013, further investigations led police to arrest a 51-year-old woman, and yesterday (Wednesday 27 November 2013), police arrested a 44-year-old man.

They were both charged with 18 counts of fraud relating to alleged staged or nonexistent motor vehicle accidents. The woman was granted conditional bail and will appear at Burwood Local Court on Thursday 12 December 2013. The 44-year-old man was granted conditional bail and will appear at Burwood Local Court on Thursday 19 December 2013.

Police investigations into the incident continue.

Source: NSW Police News