A San Jose, CA, body shop owner is facing felony insurance fraud charges after investigators say he exaggerated minor vehicle damage into thousands of dollars in repairs during an undercover sting operation.
Jairon Escobar, 49, owner and operator of Radiator & Body Parts, was arraigned March 11 following a probe by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office. Authorities allege Escobar attempted to defraud an insurance company by claiming more than $3,000 in damages for a car that had only a single dent above the front wheel fender.
The investigation was part of a coordinated sting led by the Organized Auto Insurance Fraud Task Force, which includes personnel from the Santa Clara County D.A.’s Office, California Highway Patrol and California Department of Insurance.
The operation, conducted in May 2024, used a Toyota Camry provided by the National Insurance Crime Bureau as a bait car.
“The car only had a dent above the front wheel fender,” the Santa Clara County D.A.’s Office said in a statement. However, Escobar allegedly “encouraged the undercover officer [to] report to the insurer more than $3,000 in damages to the vehicle.”
Escobar subsequently submitted the repair estimate to Mercury Insurance, prompting formal charges of felony attempted insurance fraud.
The sting was part of a broader effort to identify collision repair businesses that may be promoting or engaging in fraudulent billing practices. Officials said the operation also sought to expose shops that encourage customers to participate in dishonest insurance claims.
If convicted, Escobar faces incarceration.
