LOCAL : 7 in O.C. Held in Insurance Fraud

Capping a two-year investigation, authorities today announced the arrest of a Costa Mesa attorney and six others in connection with an alleged insurance fraud ring that staged traffic accidents, netting more than $1 million in bogus claims.

Personal injury lawyer Thomas F. Mullen, 44, was arrested last night in the parking lot of his Towne Center Drive law office, California Highway Patrol investigator Theresa Clark said.

He was being held in Orange County Central Jail on $250,000 bail on one count each of conspiracy to commit insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit grand theft and seven counts of grand theft, officers said.

This morning, investigators for the CHP, the Orange County district attorney and the state Department of Insurance fraud bureau arrested four suspected members of the fraud ring at their homes in various parts of the county, Johnson said. Danilo Gonzalez Monterroso, 27, of Anaheim; Grace Unterberger, 39, of Irvine; and Raul Zapata, 42, and Maria Oregon Covarubbias, 36, both of Santa Ana, were arrested on one count each of conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit grand theft and grand theft.

Members of the ring allegedly faked auto accidents, reported them to police and then went for treatment to one of two clinics under the control of the ring, authorities said. A total of 54 bogus accidents were staged during the last two years, according to authorities.