Insurance fraud the family business?
NEW HOPE, Pa. -- Five members of a Pennsylvania family, and two alleged co-conspirators, are facing charges for allegedly defrauding insurance companies out of millions of dollars, reports CBS Philly.
Prosecutors say Claire Risoldi, 67, and her family live an "excessively extravagant lifestyle," complete with exotic sports cars, "Romanesque murals" and other high-end luxuries.
An investigation began after an October 2013 fire at Risoldi's mansion in New Hope, Pa., which the defendant has dubbed the "Clairemont."
Officials say it was the third fire at the home in the past five years, including one in June 2009 and another in August 2010.
Following each of the fires, the Risoldi family - including Claire's husband, Thomas French; her son, Carl; and daughter-in-law, Sheila - filed insurance claims. Those claims have paid out more than $20 million from damages allegedly caused by the fires.
Mark Goldman, a private investigator, and Richard Holston, a fabric vendor, also face charges in the alleged conspiracy.
The Risoldis are reportedly seeking $20 million more in claims filed for the Oct. 2013 fire. That sum includes $10 million for jewelry that Claire Risoldi accused volunteer firefighters of stealing.
A grand jury reportedly concluded that those allegations were false.
The grand jury also established the Risoldi family had a 20- to 30-year history of filing "questionable" insurance claims. It found that in one case Claire Risoldi still had jewelry she claimed was stolen back in 1993.
Investigators say the family progressively increased the value of the jewelry covered by their insurance policy from $100,000 to almost $11 million, with the final increase occurring 25 days before the 2013 fire. Additionally, in all three fires, the grand jury found there were large amounts of flammable materials in piles near the points of origin.
Claire, Carl and Carla Risoldi are also said to have facilitated the receipt of invoices inflated more than ten-fold for "Romanesque murals" inside Clairemont depicting the family "in flowing robes gazing down from the heavens."
Claire Risoldi is also accused of witness intimidation, including threatening an insurance adjuster and an attorney involved in one of the real estate transactions.
The investigation also resulted in the seizure of $7 million in assets, including about $3 million in seized bank accounts, $1.2 million in jewelry, six Ferraris, two Rolls Royces, one Ford Cobra and four other vehicles worth $2.8 million.
All seven of the accused turned themselves in on Thursday and were arraigned and released after posting bail.