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Fauzia Lodhi, a business owner from California, sentenced to 16 months in custody for mail fraud related to a 2006 fire in Mountain View.
San Jose, California – In a shocking turn of events, Fauzia Lodhi, a 53-year-old resident of Mission Viejo, California, was sentenced to 16 months in custody for her conviction on mail fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Riehl.
The incident dates back to May 17, 2006, when a fire occurred at Lodhi’s business, Postal Express, located at 801 West El Camino Real in Mountain View, California. Following the incident, Lodhi submitted fraudulent business income interruption claims and fraudulent business personal property claims to State Farm Insurance.
Lodhi admitted to inflating inventory and revenue statements for her business in order to induce State Farm Insurance to provide coverage in excess of the actual value of the business. She also misrepresented the amount of business interruption insurance payments and loss of business personal property insurance payments to which she was entitled under her State Farm insurance policy.
The defendant used the fraudulently-obtained business interruption payments to satisfy her outstanding debts, further exacerbating the severity of her crime. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Lucy H. Koh, United States District Court Judge.
Judge Koh also sentenced Lodhi to a three-year period of supervised release and ordered the defendant to pay restitution of $54,896 to State Farm Insurance. Lodhi was ordered to self-surrender on July 30, 2014.
The prosecution of this case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Mountain View Police Department, and the Mountain View Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Parrella is leading the prosecution with the assistance of Elise Etter.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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