Grimy Times Exclusive: Whitten’s Web of Deceit Unraveled
Thomaston, Connecticut – In a shocking turn of events, Dustin Whitten, 32, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in a brazen insurance scam. The scheme, which spanned years, left a trail of destruction in its wake.
According to court documents, Whitten’s alleged co-conspirator transferred a residential property in Old Forge, New York, to Whitten in May 2009. However, the true owner continued to occupy the property, paying the mortgage and maintenance expenses. This was done to shield the property from a creditor who was seeking to collect a debt.
In March 2011, Whitten and his co-conspirator arranged for an insurance company to issue a policy on the New York property in Whitten’s name. On July 4, 2011, the property was destroyed in a fire, just days after a bankruptcy court meeting about compensating the co-conspirator’s creditors.
Whitten then filed an insurance claim, seeking $515,038.50 for the destroyed structure and $92,974.47 for personal property allegedly lost in the fire. However, the claim was eventually denied by the insurance company, and Whitten was forced to admit that the co-conspirator, and not he, was the true owner of the property.
The goal of the scheme was to shield the anticipated insurance payout from the co-conspirator’s creditors, prosecutors alleged. Whitten is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13, 2015, and faces maximum penalties of twenty years of imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry K. Kopel and Michael J. Gustafson are prosecuting the case.
As Grimy Times continues to uncover the truth behind Whitten’s web of deceit, one thing is clear: this is a case of brazen audacity, with far-reaching consequences for those involved.
Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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