Arson—West Virginia

Amount: $556,000

A West Virginia family was charged with insurance fraud this week after allegedly purchasing a home just to torch it for the insurance money. The family owned two mobile home businesses in West Virginia. The indictment states that the family purchased a home in West Virginia for $38,000, and immediately took out an insurance policy covering “approximately $196,000 for the home and $147,000 for contents, personal property, and replacement costs”. Only five months later, the home burned to the ground. The U.S. Attorney General stated that two of the defendants used unscented candle oil and set the bathroom and kitchen on fire. A similar incident occurred in 2013 when the family purchased a piece of property for $72,500, a large insurance policy was taken out on the property, and the property burned down a month later. Unscented candle oil starting that fire as well. The family members face charges including insurance fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, arson conspiracy, and money laundering.