Attorney General Laxalt Announces Guilty Plea of Las Vegas Auto Body Shop for Fraudulent Practices


August 17, 2016

Las Vegas, NV – Nevada Attorney General Adam Paul Laxalt announced that A Plus Auto Body, Inc., a Las Vegas auto body shop, pleaded guilty to one count of multiple transactions involving fraud or deceit in the course of an enterprise or occupation, a category “B” felony. The fraud was committed between September 2011 and September 2012.

    A Plus Auto Body agreed with Farmers Insurance to make specified repairs to damaged automobiles, but subsequently failed to make the agreed upon repairs or made repairs that substantially deviated from the prearranged estimates. As a result of these fraudulent practices, Farmers Insurance overpaid A Plus Auto Body thousands of dollars for their services, and suffered additional monetary losses when several automobiles needed to be reworked.

      “Insurance fraud costs everyone money when losses are passed on to consumers in the form of higher rates,” said Laxalt. “My Office will continue to be vigilant in collaborating with other agencies to investigate and prosecute those who seek to swindle insurance companies and our taxpayers.”

        Hakop Bebekyan, the officer and director of the company and Yerdjzanik Nick Manukyan, the shop manager, each pleaded guilty to a gross misdemeanor conspiracy charge. A Plus Auto Body has agreed to repay over $50,000 to Farmers Insurance and to pay a $5,000 fine to the Eighth Judicial District Court. The sentencing hearings for A Plus Auto Body, Bebekyan and Manukyan are scheduled for October 19, 2016 in the Eighth Judicial District Court.

          This case was jointly investigated by Farmers Insurance and the Office of the Nevada Attorney General’s Insurance Fraud Control Unit. Senior Deputy Attorney General Roger R. Madsen is prosecuting this case.

            To view the criminal Information against A Plus Auto Body, click here. To file complaint concerning an individual or business suspected of committing fraud, click here.

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