Last modified: Saturday, August 2, 2008 1:11 AM EDT Plainville couple indicted on insurance fraud charges BY SUsan LaHOUD SUN CHRONICLE STAFF PLAINVILLE - A Plainville couple has been indicted for allegedly stealing funds from their auto insurance company, lying under oath, and obtaining fake Massachusetts identification cards. Efrain Colon, 43, was charged with two counts of motor vehicle insurance fraud, two counts of conspiracy, larceny over $250, attempted larceny and perjury, according to the attorney general's office. Efrain Colon's girlfriend, Rosita Colon, 40, was charged with two counts of motor vehicle insurance fraud, two counts of larceny over $250, two counts of conspiracy, falsification of a Massachusetts Identification Card and attempting to falsify a Massachusetts ID card. The charges followed an investigation conducted by the attorney general's office in October 2007 after the matter had been referred by the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB). Investigators discovered that in October 2003, the Colons and two of their children were involved in a minor motor vehicle crash in the South Shore Plaza parking lot in Braintree when they were struck from behind by a mall security vehicle. As a result, both Colons filed personal injury claims with their insurer, MetLife Home and Auto. They also submitted bodily injury claims with Travelers Insurance, the insurer for South Shore Plaza Security. According to authorities, in an effort to recover lost wages from both insurers as a result of the accident, the Colons claimed to have missed work from their jobs in Quincy. Based on the documents submitted for their claims, the Colons allegedly received approximately $9,000 from MetLife. Authorities also discovered that Rosita Colon allegedly settled a bodily injury claim with Travelers for $50,000. Further investigation conducted by Travelers discovered that the Colons' former employer's main office was actually located in Allston, not Quincy. Travelers also discovered that the Quincy address given by the Colons was actually an apartment rented by relatives at the time of the accident. Upon learning this information, Travelers referred the case to the IFB. A separate investigation conducted by the IFB discovered that neither Colon had been employed at the time the accident occurred, the Attorney General's office said. Efrain Colon's claim with Traveler's did not settle, and he subsequently filed a lawsuit against Travelers for bodily injury in Norfolk Superior Court. During a deposition in that civil lawsuit, he allegedly made false statements claiming that he was employed full time as of the date of the accident and thereafter. Indictments were returned against both Colons June 13. The couple was arraigned Thursday in Plymouth Superior Court, at which time both defendants entered individual pleas of not guilty and were released on personal recognizance. Both defendants are due back in court Sept. 24 for a pre-trial conference. Plymouth Superior Court Judge Joseph M. Walker III presided over the arraignment.