The Criminal Investigations Division of the Florida Department of Financial Services arrested five individuals in Miami-Dade on Wednesday morning for their alleged involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain insurance agent licenses operated from an office located in Doral; two additional suspects remain at large.
The five detainees —Yohana Fernandez, Adriana Gil, Alejandro Mollinedo (36 years old), Iyad Lamaa Mezher, and Angel Contreras (44 years old)— were arrested on Wednesday morning. The suspects who have not yet been captured are Lenys Gil and Katherinne Zerpa, according to information from Local 10 News.
According to the arrest reports, the scheme operated between 2022 and 2024 using a calculated method: prospective insurance agents appeared on camera during online exams while another person, off-screen, managed the computer and answered the questions for them.
Each accused would have played a different role within the operation.
Fernandez and Gil allegedly coordinated the exams, shared credentials, and recruited new candidates. In Gil's case, investigators documented over 1,000 WhatsApp messages related to those activities.
Mollinedo would have completed pre-licensing courses and evaluations on behalf of others in exchange for money. His brother-in-law, Angel Contreras, established a standard fee of $30 per applicant, received payments via Zelle, and compensated Mollinedo.
Mezher, for his part, allegedly referred candidates to the scheme, provided information to coordinate the exams, and made two money transfers totaling 400 dollars.
The charges faced by the detainees include alleged organized crime activity, conspiracy, an organized scheme to defraud, unlawful use of a communication device, and acting as an unlicensed insurance agent, although the charges vary for each individual.
The agency related to the investigation operated in a building near the Doral City Hall, on a property that is currently undergoing demolition.
This case adds to a wave of similar frauds that has been affecting South Florida for several years.
Another similar case is that of the D&R Academy, located in Virginia Gardens, whose owner, Diana Nodarse Cruz, was arrested in December 2024 for her alleged involvement in a scheme that manipulated at least 820 exams between 2021 and 2024 and charged between 400 and 2,000 dollars to guarantee approval. Her then-husband, Rainier Miguel Salas, and his son, Rainier Alexander Salas, were also implicated in the investigation.
That same case had a new round of arrests in December 2024, when Darwin José Ayala and Zurisadairis Salazar were arrested, among others.
On March 3, 2026, twelve more individuals linked to D&R Financial Services were arrested and taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
The insurance sector—particularly health, life, and health market plans—does not require a university degree and offers income through commissions.
This demand has been exploited by networks that charge applicants for third parties to complete the courses and exams on their behalf.
Those who have obtained a license through fraudulent means may face suspension or revocation of that authorization by the Florida Department of Financial Services, in addition to any applicable criminal consequences. The investigation remains open.
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