COUPLE GOING TO PRISON IN SCAM 22-YEAR PENALTY FOR FAKE INJURIES.

Byline: ALEX DOBUZINSKIS

Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA -- A Santa Clarita man and his wife were each sentenced Tuesday to 22 years in prison for their role in an insurance scam that staged crashes on freeways, authorities said.

Ramon Alfonso Zanoletti, 53, who was a law office administrator, and Magdalena Zanoletti, 54, a medical clinic administrator, were also ordered to pay more than $300,000 in fines and restitution.

Under the scam, Ramon Zanoletti paid individuals who recruited motorists to get into crashes and file false claims, according to the California Department of Insurance.

He then referred the false claimants to Franklin Chiropractic in Los Angeles, where his wife worked. Magdalena Zanoletti instructed the claimants to sign in for medical treatments that were never given, but that were used to create false medical reports and billings.

About 20 suspects were arrested along with the Zanolettis in June after an investigation by the Los Angeles Auto Insurance Task Force.

A spokesman for state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner said insurance fraud is costly to state residents.

"Insurance fraud in California is like a $500 tax on every man, woman and child in the Golden State, so fighting fraud is one of Commissioner Poizner's highest priorities," said Jason Kimbrough.

Ramon Zanoletti was convicted of 19 counts of insurance fraud and the unauthorized practice of law.

Magdalena Zanoletti was convicted of 38 counts of insurance fraud.

Some of the collisions that were used to file false claims were staged on freeways and surface streets, according to the state Department of Insurance. Innocent drivers of commercial vehicles, sport utility vehicles, high-end cars and vehicles driven by the elderly were purposely targeted for collisions because the owners and drivers were considered most likely to have insurance, according to the Department of Insurance.

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