Four Southern California drivers were arraigned in an alleged staged collision scheme tied to coordinated insurance fraud.
The collisions reportedly endangered an innocent driver. The defendants are: Jhoiner Rodriguez Celis, 31, of Anaheim; Melissa Cervantes De La Torre, 30, of Upland; Nailer Mendez Diaz, 35, of Anaheim; and Plata Sampayo, 28, of Upland.
Their arraignment follows an investigation by the Inland Empire Automobile Insurance Fraud Task Force, which includes the California Department of Insurance, California Highway Patrol, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, and the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
The investigation began after the Upland Police Department contacted the task force after they suspected multiple crashes of being staged for insurance payouts. Detectives determined the drivers were friends, finding that on June 8, 2025, they staged a collision in the area by intentionally crashing into one another. Further investigation revealed that on April 21, 2025, Plata Sampayo and Cervantes De La Torre caused a separate collision in Montclair where they targeted an innocent driver who was not connected to the scheme, according to the CDI.
Detectives reviewed body camera footage from the Upland Police Department related to the June 8 collision showing officers arriving at the scene after the crash where Plata Sampayo and Cervantes De La Torre were in a vehicle that struck another vehicle occupied by Rodriguez Celis and Mendez Diaz.
Detectives later determined the four sought medical attention after the crash to legitimize their alleged injuries and increase insurance payouts. The estimated loss in the case was $36,000.
The task force, CDI detectives, Upland Police Department SWAT team and Riverside County District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigation executed search warrants at four locations and arrested the defendants on March 19. Plata Sampayo also had an outstanding warrant for robbery. All were booked at the West Valley Detention Center.
On May 26, 2026, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office filed felony insurance fraud charges against all four defendants. Cervantes De La Torre and Plata Sampayo were additionally charged with assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the April 21 collision involving the innocent driver.
The CDI believes there may be additional victims connected to the group. Anyone who believes they may have been involved in a collision with any of the defendants, or who suspects a staged collision, can contact the CDI at (909) 919-2200.
Topics
California
Fraud
Personal Auto
Interested in Fraud?
Get automatic alerts for this topic.
