Arizona Auto Body Shop Owner Convicted of Insurance Fraud

The owner of a Phoenix auto body shop has been convicted of fraud and forgery for ordering his employees to add additional damage to wrecked vehicles brought into his business.

The Arizona Department of Insurance announced the conviction of 1st Class Collision owner Michael Griesa on Thursday. A Maricopa County Superior Court judge placed Griesa on probation for a year, fined him $813 and ordered to pay nearly $2,000 in restitution for the two felony convictions.

The Insurance Department began investigating Griesa and his company after former employees reported the fraud to Progressive Insurance and the insurer called the department.

An undercover Insurance Department investigation found proof of the fraud, including before and after photos of vehicles that had additional damage after arriving at Griesa’s shop.