U.S. attorneys and lawyers representing former St. Louis Alderman Brandon Bosley made their opening statements Wednesday in a trial in which he's accused of defrauding an insurance company on a car claim and then lying to federal agents.
The trial revolves around a spring 2021 incident in which Bosley purchased a 2010 Toyota Prius from Mohammed Almuttan for $500 — far less than the market value. Later that year, the car was hit by another driver outside Bosley's office.
Bosley is accused of asking Almuttan, the seller, to inflate the costs of the repairs to the insurance company.
"This is a case of fraud," Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith said.
Goldsmith said U.S. attorneys plan to present recorded telephone calls and meetings between Bosley and Almuttan where Goldsmith said the former alderman schemed to defraud the insurance company. Goldsmith also played video recordings of the two where Bosley said to mark the claim up and "I'll throw you a few thousand dollars, and f*** that insurance company."
"I'm not bothered by hitting them with as much as we can," Bosley also said. "I told them I'm an elected official."
Bosley eventually received about $8,000 from the insurance company.
U.S. attorneys also said Bosley lied to federal agents who were investigating the case.
Bosley's lawyers rejected accusations that the former alderman lied in the recordings.
"No one wants to be lowballed by insurance companies." Bosley's attorney Joseph Hogan said. "Nowhere in any of these tapes does Bosley lie."
Almuttan was at the center of several other high-profile indictments that eventually led to several St. Louis aldermen being sent to prison in other cases. Hogan said Bosley believed he could trust the car shop owner who was released early from prison.
"In an effort to get a better deal, he tries to ensnare Mr. Bosley," Hogan said.
"[Bosley] never says fraud, he never says lie or cheat," Hogan said.
Bosley pleaded not guilty and rejected a plea deal last month.
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