A grand jury indicted 11 Monmouth County residents suspected of automobile insurance fraud Friday.
Prosecutors say body shop owner John Cotona, of Red Bank, along with his wife Vincenza Girone and brother Vincent Cotona, were the ringleaders of the scam. They say the suspects staged more than 20 fake car accidents during a four-year period in order to file insurance claims. The indictment claims the group illegally extracted approximately $1 million from insurance providers.
Seven of the accused were released on bond Friday. Police say they consider the four remaining suspects to be fugitives.