Las Vegas Business Owner Indicted for Fake Armed Robbery of His Store to Defraud Insurance Company

LAS VEGAS - A Las Vegas business owner made his initial court appearance yesterday to face charges in connection with a fake armed robbery of his cell phone repair store to collect money from his insurance company.

According to allegations in the indictment, Erwin Lanada owned CPR Cellphone Repair, a store in Las Vegas that repaired and sold cell phones and other electronic devices. As alleged, in October 2023, he arranged for co-defendant Marco Antonio Capistran to rob his store, and he gave Capistran a revolver to use during the robbery. Later, Lanada filed fraudulent insurance claims with his insurance company for property loss and loss of income purportedly resulting from the robbery. In December 2023, the insurance company sent Lanada checks totaling approximately $88,611.23 for his claims.

Lanada is charged with two counts of mail fraud. The maximum statutory penalties for each count are ten years in prison. A jury trial has been scheduled for October 19, 2026.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel R. Schiess is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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