There are many instances of insurance-related crimes occurring every year. One of the biggest crimes is insurance fraud, which results in a loss of $80 billion each year. The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud recently released a list of the most dishonorable and shocking criminal cases involving insurance.
Phantom Pelican
In this case, a man drove a vehicle worth $1 million into a marsh and claimed a pelican was the reason for it. He was seeking $2.2 million in insurance with his claim. However, a witness filmed the event to show that there was no pelican. The man who attempted to file the false claim received a sentence of 20 years in prison.
Burning Lies
A woman who claimed she slid down the porch roof after going through a window in a house fire said she tried to save her two daughters in the house. The girls both died, the woman had no injuries proving her story and investigators found suspicious burn patterns in the home’s remains. She tried to file a claim for $64,000 but was given two life sentences, which were upheld after she tried to appeal.
Crash Scam
Traffic victims who tried to receive compensation fell victim to a crooked attorney and his large network of chiropractors, doctors, and clinics. The network of crooks gave the victims needless treatment and collected insurance money they were owed. The attorney received a sentence of 51 months in prison.
Fake Injuries
A police officer who was supposed to be on workers’ compensation for an injured arm was moonlighting as the lead singer in a band. He said he was unable to bend the injured arm. When his charade was discovered, he was sentenced to three years of probation.
Cancer Scam
A woman claimed she was raped and contracted cervical cancer from an STD after the incident. Using forged medical records, she raised thousands of dollars to treat her non-existent cancer. The man she accused was sent to jail. When the truth was discovered, she was sentenced to one year in jail. Fortunately, the innocent man was also set free.
Chemo Crime
In this incident, seniors received chemo for non-existent cancer. The person who benefited from it was a crooked doctor who billed Medicare for millions of dollars. When his dangerous treatment and billing scam was discovered, he was sentenced to 175 years in federal prison.
Fatal Romance
A mentally-challenged man who wanted to be a cowboy singer was lured to Texas by a woman with twisted plans. The mentally-challenged man married the woman and agreed to take out a small life insurance policy on himself that covered violent death. After doing this, the woman’s gang brutally murdered the man. The woman was convicted and executed.
Fake Surgeries
Thousands of fake or incorrect surgeries were performed by a crooked doctor to collect millions in insurance money. He had conducted up to 20 surgeries per day that were suspicious, and one recorded surgery he conducted lasted only a few seconds. The surgeon was sentenced to more than four years in prison.
