2 California Men Arrested in Insurance Fraud Scam

Authorities say two California men were arrested this week on suspicion of running an insurance fraud scam that bilked multiple companies for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said Friday 48-year-old Louis Houston of Richmond and 28-year-old Cedric Birdell Jackson Jr. of Fresno were arrested on suspicion of numerous counts of fraud, burglary and perjury after a year-long investigation by the California Department of Insurance.

Authorities say the pair filed more than 165 loss claims since 2000, scamming insurance companies for between $400,000 and $600,000.

Jones says the men filed claims for alleged traffic collisions, stolen vehicles, vehicle vandalisms and residential fires.

The two were expected to be booked into jail, with bail at $1.865 million for Houston and $620,000 for Jackson. It was not immediately clear whether the men had retained attorneys.