Mortgage Industry News

← Back

Shocking case of life insurance fraud

Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2005

A man has admitted to pretending to be dead in order to benefit from a life insurance policy.

Harry Bentley Gordon from Australia faked his own death over five years ago in a boating accident as a way of benefiting from his life insurance cover worth $3.5 million Australian dollars (£1.5 million).

The businessman, who owned a Sydney engineering firm, pleaded guilty to conspiring with his first wife and daughter to obtain money by deception and false representation.

Mr Gordon's motor boat was found in June 2000 with a smashed windscreen and two empty champagne bottles on the deck – leading authorities to believe he had died in a tragic accident.

However, the life insurance company had refused to make a payout until it was 100 per cent sure that Mr Gordon was no longer alive.

Mr Gordon was finally arrested last week following his wife's confession to the insurance provider that he was living in New Zealand with his second wife.

He now faces between two and ten years in jail for various offences including two counts of possessing a false passport.


© 1998-2005 DeHavilland Information Services plc. All rights reserved.

Endsleigh Insurance Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. This can be checked on the FSA Register by visiting its web site at www.fsa.gov.uk/register.
Endsleigh Insurance Services Limited. Company No: 856706 registered in England at Shurdington Road, Cheltenham Spa, Gloucestershire GL51 4UE.