Man Involved in Auto Fraud Ring Nabbed Again

A California body shop owner detained last spring for his alleged involvement in a multimillion-dollar auto insurance fraud ring was again arrested recently for allegedly dealing drugs, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.

Deputy District Attorney Gregory Alker of the Auto Insurance Fraud Division said Arthur Itskovich, 29, owner of A & A Auto Body in Los Angeles, was arrested after investigators of the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at his Los Angeles home.

Investigators seized large quantities of narcotics at the residence, including marijuana and opiate derivative pills, prosecutors said, adding that the home was within 1,000 feet of a school. Itskovich was to be arraigned on charges stemming from a 12-month Urban Auto Insurance Fraud Task Force investigation dubbed “Operation Big Fish.” His bail is recommended at $380,000.

The investigation involved 16 agencies and culminated on May 15, 2008 with the arrest of alleged ring leader Alexander Igor Gutman, 47, of Sherman Oaks, and associate Laszlo Aldar Bango, 36, of Van Nuys. Gutman and Bango are charged in case No. BA340194.

According to authorities, Itskovich was among a network of attorneys, chiropractors, doctors and body shop owners believed to have helped Gutman and Bango defraud auto insurance companies. It is believed that conspiring body shops inflicted physical damages to vehicles reportedly involved in staged accidents, prosecutors said. Itskovich is charged in case No. BA348835 with 14 counts of insurance fraud, two counts of possession for sale of cocaine and an opiate derivative, one count of possession for sale of marijuana and one count of possession for use of heroine. Charges on his most recent arrest are now under review.

If convicted as charged, Itskovich faces a maximum state prison term of 21 years and four months.