Fraud of the Week

January 30, 2017

Arson Fraud—Ohio

Amount: Unknown

 

A man in Ohio was betrayed by his own pacemaker when he was indicted on charges of arson and insurance fraud when his house burnt down and he attempted to file for recovery under his insurance policy. A fire last September destroyed the alleged fraudsters home. In the 911 call he told the dispatcher that he had an artificial heart. He stated that he was able to pack some suitcases and throw them out of his bedroom window after he broke the glass with a walking stick. A cardiologist told police that such actions would be “highly improbable” because of his medical condition. The police sought information including the heart rate, pacer demand, and cardiac rhythms before, during and after the fire. The retrieved information did not match the story told to police by the fraudster. The police stated that the information retrieved from the pacemaker was an excellent investigative tool, and was one of the key pieces of evidence that gave rise to the charges of arson and insurance fraud. There was also gasoline found on the shoes, pants and shirt of the defendant, and multiple points of origin of the fire in the home. This is the first time the Middleton police have used information from a heart device to make an arrest.