Spokane Developer Indicted As Participant In $6 Million Staged Accident Ring

Ron Wells, a developer and architect whose decadeslong work in Spokane includes renovations of numerous historic buildings, was indicted Wednesday in federal court for allegedly staging a car crash in an attempt to defraud insurance companies. The grand jury named Wells along with 21 other defendants who are accused of deliberately staging a “series of automobile, boating, stair fall, pedestrian/vehicle and other accidents” in Washington, Idaho, Nevada and California from 2013 to 2018. In total, the group is alleged to have defrauded insurance companies of more than $6 million and faces charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit health care fraud and other charges.