Saleh H. Fakhoury Sentenced to 4 Years for Insurance Fraud Fire, Ba…

Baltimore, Maryland – Saleh H. Fakhoury, 49, of Lutherville, has been sentenced to four years in prison followed by nine months of home detention for his role in a scheme to torch his own Maryland home and collect $3 million in insurance money.

Fakhoury was also ordered by U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett to pay over $800,000 in restitution. The sentence comes after Fakhoury admitted to setting the fire with co-conspirator Hammoud at Alfeo’s pizza restaurant, where Hammoud worked for Fakhoury.

The plot culminated in a second deliberate blaze that reduced Fakhoury’s Lutherville home to ashes. Following the fires, Fakhoury filed a false insurance claim, which was denied but resulted in an $828,773 payout. He then sought to recover the funds through civil action, which he has agreed to drop as part of his plea deal.

In addition to Fakhoury’s sentence, Hammoud, 60, from Dundalk, Maryland, received a 63-month prison term and was ordered to pay restitution. United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF, Baltimore County Police Department, and IRS-Criminal Investigation for their efforts in the case.

Fakhoury’s scheme began unraveling when he defaulted on his debts, accumulating over $200,000 in credit card and utility bills, as well as over $1.7 million in mortgages. His downfall was sealed when the insurance company rejected his initial claim and reported the incident to authorities.