Commission elects to commence process outlined in Article 93 (2) of the Treaty.

Farmer in Lower Saxony Ordered to Repay Insurance Compensation for Arson Fraud

A farmer from Lower Saxony has been convicted by the Higher Regional Court (OLG) Oldenburg for attempting to fraudulently claim over 600,000 euros in insurance compensation through arson attacks on his farm. The specific names of the couple involved in the case are not publicly disclosed in the search results.

The legal dispute, which involved the farmer and his insurance, has been resolved. The OLG confirmed the verdict against the farmer and his wife in Case No.: 1 U 229/20. The farmer's offence was determined to be insurance fraud (§ 265 StGB).

The trouble began in 2006 when a major fire occurred on the farm, with technical defects being the initial cause. However, suspicions of arson arose, and the case was not closed until 2012 when the Public Prosecutor's Office in Oldenburg initiated investigations due to the suspicion of arson and fraud.

In 2009, another major fire occurred in the calf fattening stall, and in the same year, two more fires occurred in a residential and business building. The farmer and his wife received nearly 600,000 euros for the major fire of 2009, and the insurance also paid out in all other cases.

However, it was later determined that the incidents reported by the farmer to his liability insurers were fabricated by the courts. In the subsequent civil trial, the OLG evaluated the evidence differently and convicted the farmer for commissioning the fire in the calf fattening stall of 2009 and preparing the act.

The verdict requires the farmer to reimburse his insurance approximately 600,000 euros plus interest. It's important to note that insurers may demand repayment of paid-out amounts years later if there is suspicion of fraud.

This case serves as a warning example for businesses with larger insurance sums to always document damage reports flawlessly and provably. Subscribing to the newsletter, which is sent every workday about the top topics of the day, implies acknowledgment of the privacy policy. An unsubscribe option is available for the newsletter.