The Landlord Who Faked His Own Death: A Bizarre Insurance Scam
So this guy is about to die, but don’t worry, it’s exactly what he wants. His name is Darwin, and he’s a landlord. He and his wife, Anne, own several rental properties in England, trying to make a living. But things aren’t going well, and they find themselves drowning in debt.
Darwin could have accepted his losses and filed for bankruptcy, but that would be too easy. Instead, he hatches a ridiculous plan: fake his own death and cash in on life insurance money. What could possibly go wrong?
Darwin pitches the idea to Anne, and she agrees. They put their plan into motion. One day, Darwin takes his red canoe to a nearby beach and paddles into the ocean, making sure people see him. Then, a few miles out, he comes back to shore, pushes his canoe back into the water, and makes it look like he fell out and disappeared. Meanwhile, Anne waits in their car to pick him up and drive him home. From there, Darwin moves into the empty apartment next door, which they also own. Their plan is simple: he hides out while Anne waits for the insurance payout.
That night, Darwin doesn’t show up for work. His boss calls Anne, and she lies, saying she hasn’t seen him since he went canoeing. Soon, the police and Coast Guard are searching for him. They find his paddle floating in the ocean. Weeks later, his canoe washes ashore, broken and abandoned. With no sign of Darwin, everyone assumes he drowned.
It takes a year for the state to officially declare Darwin dead. During this time, he stays hidden in the apartment next door, while Anne continues to act like a grieving widow. She even lies to their adult sons, telling them their father is gone. When the declaration finally comes through, Anne cashes in on the life insurance. With the money in hand, they move to Panama.
In Panama, they meet a real estate agent and buy a house. The agent takes a photo with them and posts it on his website. That picture will be important later. For a while, everything seems fine. Then, after five years of being “dead,” Darwin suddenly decides he doesn’t want to be dead anymore. Maybe he misses his sons. Maybe he thinks it’s too risky. Whatever the reason, he flies back to England without Anne and walks into a police station, claiming he has amnesia and has been missing for five years.
The bizarre story grabs media attention. Reporters are eager to interview him, but one detective, Tony, doesn’t believe a word. He asks the public if anyone knew Darwin under a different name. Soon, a tabloid journalist uncovers the real estate agent’s photo of Darwin and Anne in Panama, complete with a timestamp proving it was taken while Darwin was supposedly “missing.”
Kapow! The police arrest Darwin. When Anne returns to the UK to reunite with him, they arrest her too. Both confess, and Darwin is sentenced to six years and three months in prison, while Anne gets six and a half years.
Why do people always fake their deaths for insurance money? It’s wild.
