SINGAPORE - Five men were charged on Tuesday (April 26) over their suspected involvement in motor insurance fraud.

The men, aged 24 to 31, are alleged to have been involved in submitting fraudulent claims for property damages and purported personal injuries related to five road traffic accidents between 2020 and 2021.

In a release on Wednesday (April 27), the police said two of these accidents are believed to have been staged.

The five were identified as Koh Yi Ming, 28; Tan Lek Keong, 27; Lim Yong Jun, 24; Chen Jianlei, 31; and Alex Lau, 24.

They face multiple charges which include giving false information to a public servant and conspiracy to cheat.

Each of the five men have been offered $15,000 bail.

They were among 17 people rounded up by the police in a series of operations last year.

The police said one man among the 17, Chew Kuo Choon, 26, was charged on June 11 last year and court proceedings are ongoing.

Chew faces 32 charges and is alleged to have conspired to stage the two accidents, acting as the driver in one of them.

He is also alleged to have been involved in submitting false insurance claims for damages and personal injuries by phantom and uninjured passengers, and lodging false police reports to support the claim submissions.

Chew is currently out on $20,000 bail.

The police said they take a serious view of fraudulent and staged accidents.

"Motorists involved in accidents are advised not to be easily taken in by touts at accident scenes who promise to assist in making insurance claims, to avoid falling victim to such motor insurance fraud," said the police.

Those convicted of cheating may be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.