People will do anything for a dollar but it sometimes comes at a severe cost. Three men were convicted after recruiting homeless and impoverished people to help them stage fake slip-and-fall accidents to scam local businesses in NYC and insurers out of $31.7M. Bryan Duncan, Robert Locust, and Ryan Rainford were found guilty of conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud. Duncan was also convicted of additional counts of mail and wire fraud.
The Manhattan US Attorney Geoffrey Berman said the three men "were tripped up by the justice system and have met their downfall." The three men recruited "patients -- some from homeless shelters -- and trained them to stage slip-and-fall accidents. Court documents revealed they'd tell their patients to trip over cracks in the concrete or cellar doors in front of businesses in the New York City area. Prosecutors said they would coach the people executing their scams to claim injuries that would amount in big payouts such as their knees, shoulders, and back. They would then be directed to avoid certain lawyers, chiropractors, and doctors that might catch on to their plans. The people were also forced to undergo certain surgeries that would increase the payout.
Peter Kalkanis, the leader of the elaborate scam and former chiropractor, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. He was also convicted on additional mail fraud and wire fraud charges.
