8 charged with faking injuries in a 2009 SEPTA incident

On Dec. 23, 2009, the right mirror of a Loomis truck hit the left mirror of a Route 21 SEPTA bus at 15th and Walnut streets.

Eight people filed injury claims after the incident, and they now face insurance fraud and criminal conspiracy charges.Kitt Smith, Avis Jackson, Malik Spivey, Eric Lovett, Stephanie Williams, Lorraine Huff, Faith Rowley and Arthur Whaley retained the same attorney, who then sent injury claims to SEPTA.

“Of the eight defendants that filed claims, only Lorraine Huff and Malik Spivey were actually on the bus at the time of the incident,” according to a release issued today by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office. Lovett, caught on camera outside the bus, is accused of enlisting five other non-passengers on the street and in his neighborhood to participate in the scheme.

All eight are scheduled to appear in court Monday.