Man Fakes His Own Death to Collect Insurance Money

Anthony McErlean, a sixty-six year old man from Petham, orchestrated an elaborate hoax to get his hands on the £520,000 under his Ace European accidental death insurance policy. While on vacation in Honduras, McErlean created an imaginary witness who claimed McErlean was killed when a produce truck hit him while he was changing a tire. The fake witness also stated that local farmers took McErlean’s body to a nearby village where it was later cremated.

McErlean sent fake official documents, including a death certificate, to Ace European. He also impersonated his wife on the death benefit claim. Ace European was suspicious when they did not receive McErlean’s passport and handed over the insurance information to police. After an investigation, McErlean’s fingerprints were found on the fake death certificate, and police arrested McErlean before he received any of the insurance money.

See Honduras ‘Crash Death’ Man Anthony McErlean Jailed, BBC News, Sep. 30, 2011.