Arrest of Individuals Who Committed Insurance Fraud by Breaking Their Own Limbs

Police commanders in Zanjan have reported the arrest of those involved in organizing 'dog fights' and two individuals who committed 'fraud' against insurance services by breaking their own limbs. Barzoo Mahdikhani, the police chief of the city of 'Abhar' in Zanjan province, announced on Tuesday, February 1, that two individuals identified as 'A. K.' and 'P. H.' were arrested on charges of 'insurance fraud.' Mahdikhani explained that these individuals had 'staged unrealistic scenes' and, through 'pre-planned' actions, cleverly and deceitfully broke their limbs, defrauding the Abhar insurance company of 700 million rials. According to this police chief, the case against the suspects has been forwarded to judicial authorities after their confession for legal proceedings. This is not the first time police officials have reported the identification and arrest of individuals accused of 'fraud' against insurance companies in Iran. As reported by media and judicial authorities in Iran, specific methods for obtaining 'illegal' money from insurance companies have been discovered that are unique in their nature. In 2013, a news site reported the arrest of two sisters who, over three years, used statistics of deceased individuals from Tehran's Behesht Zahra cemetery to extract names of people who were not covered by any insurance and entered them into the supplementary insurance list of a major airline company. According to the 'Poules' site, 'these fraudsters would place their targeted individuals' names on the company's list for several months, and after announcing their death, they would pocket the life insurance amount of the deceased.' 'Staged accidents' are another common method in Iran for 'insurance fraud' and claiming damages from these institutions, with significant cases of such violations existing in the judiciary. The police in Isfahan province reported in March of last year the identification and arrest of a 'gang' that had committed 'over 60 staged accidents' in various cities in Iran, defrauding insurance companies of nearly six billion rials. Daily, significant news and reports about social and economic crimes are published in Iranian media. Additionally, animal cruelty has recently become one of those crimes that police and judicial authorities respond to after these crimes are publicized. In the latest of these actions, police have arrested individuals in Zanjan who were responsible for organizing 'dog fights.' The broadcast of images from the dog fights over the past week has faced significant reactions, ultimately leading to the intervention of legal authorities to stop the event and arrest its organizers. Shahram Moghadam, the police chief of Zanjan province, announced that these individuals have been required to commit not to hold such events again.