Fraud of the Week

November 18, 2019

Food Poisoning Fraud — New Hampshire

Amount: $400K

A woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for conspiring in a mail fraud scheme. She, on behalf of herself and some family members, targeted restaurants and food companies claiming that they had become sick from eating their food. The demands came in twelve letters and claimed that they had to pay or borrow money to pay nearly $400,000 in hospital bills and other expenses. Her letters demanded back the $400,000 from the insurers and resulted in more than $206,000 in insurance settlement payment checks. The fraudster assumed the identity of her family members, provided fraudulent medical records from several hospitals, bank account and credit card statements, and false invoices from an ambulance company. She will be sentenced in February.