Peel Region cop convicted in car insurance scam

Here's a great example, albeit an infrequent one, of why it is important to defend your driving record.

Const. Carlton Watson, 50, a 23-year veteran of the Peel Region Police Force was convicted of 40 charges of fraud, breach of trust and obstructing justice, in Ontario Superior Court by Justice John Sproat on Friday, February 13, 2015. Clearly, it was not his lucky day.

He was paid to provide accident reports that passed off bogus car crashes to collect more than $1 million.

Watson was found guilty of multiple counts of fraud, obstructing justice, uttering forged documents and breach of trust, in connection with the nine insurance claims dating back to 2010.

“The Crown alleges that Const. Watson was paid cash, typically $6,000 per (accident report) and well understood the (reports) were for fake accidents and to be used to defraud insurers,” Judge Sproat said in his ruling.

What license plates did Watson use to create the fake reports to insurance companies? What makes and models of cars? What VIN numbers did he use?

Read the February 13, 2015 article in The Toronto Star here.