A Las Vegas business owner pleaded guilty to arranging a fake armed robbery of his cellphone repair store to collect an insurance payout.
Erwin Lanada, owner of CPR Cellphone Repair, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud.
According to court documents, Lanada hired Marco Antonio Capistran on Oct. 25, 2023, to stage a robbery at his store, which repaired and sold cellphones and other electronic devices. Lanada provided Capistran with a revolver and promised to pay him for his participation.
During the staged robbery on Oct. 26, Capistran pointed the revolver at Lanada, demanded electronic devices, parts and cash, and tied Lanada with zip ties before fleeing the store.
Two days later, Lanada filed fraudulent insurance claims for property losses and lost income resulting from the robbery. His carrier later issued checks totaling $88,611.
He faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 5, 2027.
The FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel R. Schiess is prosecuting the case.
Topics Fraud
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