We all understand that in today’s economy, times are a little tough. Many of us struggle, business is down, and sometimes it’s
very tempting to just take an easy way out.
But we don’t. Because it’s almost always a bad idea.
Unfortunately, though, there are people out there who attempt it. And while some get away with it, most end up with a whole lot of problems—more than they had before, in fact.
Here’s a list of some of the worst insurance fraud cases.
Horse Murder
From about the ’70s to the ’90s, there was a very intricate plot in the equestrian world involving very expensive horses. The horses were usually shown jumpers and had insurance on them for an accident or death.
So owners had the bright idea to kill the horses to claim the insurance money. It’s been estimated that anywhere between 50 and 100 horses were killed in this scheme, making it the biggest scandal in equestrian sport to this day.
John Mango
This Toronto guy hired a person to set fire to his business so that he could claim the insurance money on it. The only problem was that the fire ended up killing a person and causing a whole lot of families to evacuate the area while the fire raged.
Mango didn’t get his money. Instead, he got a second-degree murder charge and fraud charges.
Cooperman Art
Trying to steal your own stuff is not only technically impossible, but it’s pretty dumb, too. LA ophthalmologist Steven Cooperman did just that when he arranged for two very expensive paintings to be stolen from his home—one a Picasso and the other a Monet.
He would have collected $17.5 million…if he hadn’t been caught.
Not Very Coordinated
Isabel Parker is a woman who apparently just can’t use her legs very well. She has been part of 49 cases in which she has done the good old “slip-and-fall-onto-the-floor” act and received a total of $500,000 from them.
New Car
What do you do when you’re sick of your car? Most people would sell it. But not chemistry teacher Tramesha Lashon Fox.
To end payments on her car, she got two of her failing students to set it on fire so that she could collect the insurance money. In return, she would give them passing grades.
Instead, she got 90 days in jail and lost her job. Good plan
Mouse Problem
Lastly, let’s take a look at Carla Patterson. While eating at a Cracker Barrel in Virginia, she tried to accuse the restaurant of leaving a mouse in her soup. Well, there was a mouse in her soup, but the restaurant didn’t put it there.
After doing some tests, the restaurant found that there was no soup in the mouse’s lungs and it hadn’t been cooked. Yup, she pulled the old “stick something disgusting in my food” trick. Well, that trick got her a year in prison.
So, if you’ve ever considered insurance fraud, take it from these people—it’s never a good idea. So save yourself some jail time and embarrassment.
Just don’t do it.
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