Man Sentenced for Faking Accidents to Extort Drivers

A man who repeatedly faked being hit by cars to extort money from drivers has been sentenced to one year and two months in prison. The 45-year-old was convicted of a continued offense of fraud, with six complaints filed against him in the past month alone, in addition to a previous charge of misappropriation.

Despite the sentence, the prison term was substituted with a probationary period. This includes requirements such as fixing his address, regular reporting to the National Directorate of Alternative Measures, three months of night-time house arrest with random police checks, weekly appearances at a police station, and 90 days of community service. He is also barred from leaving the country.

The scam involved the man positioning himself in areas with heavy vehicle traffic and feigning injury after pretending to be struck by a car. He would then demand money for alleged injuries and damage to his personal belongings, often exploiting the drivers' nervousness. In some instances, he would demand to be taken to a hospital and extort money during the journey, claiming he had lost wages due to the "accident."

He was also convicted of misappropriation for failing to repay borrowed money. The article also includes brief, unrelated reports on a multi-vehicle accident in Parque Rodó and other fraud cases.