YouTube video triggers insurance fraud charges for Diamond Bar siblings

Two Diamond Bar siblings have been arrested and charged with felony auto insurance fraud after authorities stumbled upon a YouTube video allegedly showing that their car, which they said were in two separate accidents, was actually damaged during a street race.

Jay Xi Chen, 21, and his sister, Tracy Chen Chen, 29, were arrested last week on suspicion of filing false claims for the damage on a Nissan GT-R “supercar,“ for losses potentially as costly as $76,000, according to the California Department of Insurance.

Jay Chen initially filed an insurance claim stating that his sister had been driving the car when it was involved in a collision on the 10 Freeway last March, and Tracy Chen corroborated his story, authorities said. He withdrew that claim, but later filed another saying he crashed the vehicle in June on the 60 Freeway in Riverside, Insurance Department officials said in a news release Friday.

But investigators found that the damaged Nissan had been sitting in a shop, unrepaired, since March, according to authorities. Investigators also found a video clip on YouTube showing the car on Glendora Mountain Road in an apparent nighttime street race.

In the video, titled “New GTR R35 crashes following Evo IX MR,” a car, which is difficult to make out in the darkness, is shown crashing into a barrier on the side of the road during a turn. The vehicle in the video had the same damage as described in Jay Chen’s claim, authorities said.

Jay and Tracy Chen have been charged with six and one felony counts, respectively, by the San Bernardino County district attorney’s office. Each of the counts carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison, authorities said. They could not immediately be reached for comment.

-- Victoria Kim

Photo credit: YouTube

Comments

[r. russell]

" that their car, which they said were in two separate accidents," Do have any editors?

[Tuffyturf]

Insurance fraud costs everybody money, because of crap like this. They need to fine them, put them in jail for a couple of years, then deport them back to Thailand...

[uncle_vito]

I belong to a Corvette club and we race our cars at tracks all the time. It is understood that if you crash, you pay out of your own pocket to fix it.

If you cannot do that, then do not race.

Vito

[NOCRIME]

That's what they get for expecting the insurance company to pay for their hobby.

[GONG DUONG HWAUNG]

Poor ma & pa chen must cook a lot more of pork fried rice to buy another GT_R for this spoiled little brat CHEN"S---

haa---you got caught---haaa poor boy JAY CHEN--u must sell the GT_R as parts car..

unless u study too much CoMPUTA SCIENCE !! GONG HE FAT CHOY

[Michael C.]

"Deport them back to Thailand," Tuffyturf? I'm sorry, I must have missed the part in the article about them being non-citizens. Or do you propose that anyone with a non-Anglo name should be deported, no questions asked?

[Sidney]

Their parents must be very proud.

[Victoria Sethunya]

It is hard enough for some insurance companies to even pay on an unstaged accidents. This type of fraud makes it harder for those with legitimate accidents to receive compensation. Yes, fraud is a nasty crime!

[jhenson]

Thailand? Where does it say Thailand?

[Justice]

This is some of the reason why the insurance rates our higher here in Cali. He thinks he is so smart, well he outsmarted himself. I hope they throw him and his sister in jail.

[RWh]

I don't know if they are American born citizens or not but if not, I think they will be eligible for deportation if convicted of a felony. We have enough criminals of our own without importing them.

[Scott]

Looks like these two lie about as good as they drive they should lockem up and fine them about 100k

[Pwee]

Typical Americans they se a non-American name and the racism starts. Because we all know that Americans don't do these things like fraud. Take my neighbor, his daughter skipped school got caught has to pay a fine of 200 bucks, but he blames the illegals in California for having to pay the fine in order to support them. Makes sense right? His daughter broke the law and it's the illegals fault, well if illegals get caught braking the law they should get fined and deported. How many billions did one white man caused people(Maddof)? You know how many illegals could have benefited from that? Greddy white people.

[Kathy]

Thank goodness for their stupidity that they posted it on YouTube!! Tuffyturf - not anywhere in the article does it indicate they are from Thailand. Are you a friend of theirs?

[wideeyed]

To r.russell, "Do have any editors?" You need an editor! Posted by: My opinon means nothing

It should read "was" not were. The Times should do better than this. Personally I wonder if they are outsourcing the writing of these articles to perhaps an Asian country. Seriously though, in the age of spell check it seems proofreading is going down hill.

That's what they get for expecting the insurance company to pay for their hobby. Posted by: NOCRIME

It's not no crime, er I mean it's not a hobby, it's a crime to street race. If there is a link showing that Chen posted this he could be charged with that crime. I imagine tho that the DA is happy with his fraud felony counts.

[Mark]

Put these 2 punks in jail! They could easily kill an innocent person with this insane racing. And where are the parents?? CONTROL YOUR KIDS!!!

[Roger Ramjet]

Oh, Wow, your so kool and I'm sure a legend in your own mind. Crusing down the road in your 'look at me' car. Total strangers on the road, I'm sure are impressed. All you need now are neon sign hats that say, 'I'm an idiot!'. Hope both of you morons get 10 years..............

[bk]

they deserved to be punished.
Deported? That response was pure racist.
ma and pa chen make more rice? ok, kind of funny in a dave Chapelle kinda way but racist too.

Unfortunately, if you aren't white you are American in some of white america's eyes. Its easy to spout crap especially from the protection of the internet. Maybe be thankful you can see the deep racial divide.
Deport them back to Thailand? Love the ignorance there. Its all laid out to see.

[Ned]

Brainiacs!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Musta hit his head on the steering wheel.

[J in Pasadena]

Goofy fools. Submit a claim, withdraw and resubmit a different claim? They could have started with the truth that they were driving on Glendora Ridge Road and ate it. Then they could take their hits (sorry for the pun) both legal and financial as deserved.

If they had comprehensive insurance, the company would have had to pay, anyway, so what's the difference? There is a lot of hyperbole and bravado in Internet postings, like YouTube videos, and I wonder what it really shows. Were they really racing? (One thing for certain, these kinds of cars are very rare and coveted in street racing circles.

The names of Mr. Chen and Ms. Chen are smeared all over the place. So what is the name of the insurance company that investigated them for making a comprehensive policy claim?

These kids need an excellent attorney, especially if they don't actually have convictions on record for Exhibition of Speed, Reckless Driving or other CVC related penalties.

[Tara Murphy]

I briefly worked for a Personal Injury attorney in L.A. (a "mill") that processed phony accident claims. The waiting room was filled with Latinos (i'm guessing illegal) wearing neck braces who had been sent over to the office by doctors and clinics that worked hand-in-hand with the schemers. I learned that $.50 of every $1.00 in insurance premiums goes towards settling fraudulent claims. Disgusting.

[Edge]

That's definately a video that should be featured on Attack of the Show's Epic Fail series. EPIC FAAAAAIL...

[Swede48]

It´s a shame that they have to race on the street in the first place where things can go so much more wrong than just a wrecked car! Bring back LACR!

[nick]

Wow. I can't believe the direction comments turn. A little story and next thing you know people are making comments back and fourth about races. I for the record am a "white" person. It is truly sad world we live in. One jerk has to make a stupid comment and then it ends up that all white people are bad. How about a little courtesy and respect for each other. No one benefits for the foul derogatory language that people use.

[kooo]

To: Tara Murphy - You must be proud to have worked for such a justice seeking law office. Where do you get off blaming the frauds when you are one of the enablers in that fraud? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Uh, and I'm not too sure, but isn't "Chen" a Chinese surname? At least if you want to be racists, get your racist views straight. lol.