Photo: VCG

A 16-member insurance fraud gang in Beijing allegedly staged more than 20 fake traffic accidents involving vehicles and electric bicycles, with one member undergoing more than 20 CT scans in three months to help obtain medical proof for fraudulent claims, according to a report by China News Service, citing multiple media reports. 

The case was uncovered in April 2026, when the insurance company detected multiple suspicious claims through its anti-fraud system. The insurer found that more than 10 cases shared unusual similarities: Electric bicycle riders allegedly fell after collisions and suffered tailbone fractures, while the injured parties also came from a similar region.

Police later found that the suspects, led by a man surnamed Zhao, had allegedly formed a professional fraud ring. They chose quiet roads at night or in the evening, used their own vehicles and electric bicycles to stage crashes, or deliberately created accidents to make drivers appear at fault.

Investigators said the gang's key tactic was a "substitution trick" during medical examinations. A member surnamed Qi, who had actually suffered a tailbone injury, was allegedly used as a fake victim after staged crashes and went for CT scans to obtain medical records.

To receive a payment of 1,000 ($150) to 2,000 yuan each time he helped with the "injury verification," Qi allegedly ignored potential radiation risks and underwent more than 20 CT examinations within three months.

Police said the gang carried out more than 20 fraudulent cases between January and April, obtaining over 300,000 yuan ($44,600) in insurance payouts from six companies in Beijing. All 16 suspects have been arrested.

Global Times