On September 29, 2026, U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller, along with federal, state and local partners, held a press conference to announce federal charges returned by a grand jury against seven defendants in a massive arson-related insurance fraud and money laundering conspiracy.
All seven individuals are charged with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Use of Fire to Commit Federal Felony, with three of the individuals further charged with Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, Concealment Money Laundering, and Structuring. Defendants were arrested on September 23, 2026, and each face decades in federal prison if convicted on all charges, with substantial mandatory minimums as well.
“The audacity, the recklessness, and the greed of these defendants to allegedly turn fire setting into a for-profit operation is staggering. The conspirators charged here fed their greed by putting innocent lives at risk, including those of first responders, and destroyed the hard earned property of others while contributing to higher insurance costs for us all,” said U.S Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “Our Office, alongside our federal, state, and local partners, are eager to see this matter through to its conclusion and will pursue a full accounting and real justice for those responsible for these alleged crimes.”
The indictment alleges that the defendants carried out a fraud scheme that has lasted years, involving intentionally set residential fires, fraudulent insurance claims, and fraudulent disaster relief claims in the Monroe and West Monroe areas.
It is further alleged that between 2019 and 2026, the defendants routinely rented homes, obtained homeowners insurance policies, and then caused approximately 13 fires at those residences. They allegedly submitted false insurance claims seeking payments for fabricated personal property losses and extended stay hotel reimbursements. It is also alleged that the defendants submitted fraudulent relief claims with a national humanitarian organization for which they received cash payments under false pretenses.
For more information about this incident, visit www.justice.gov.
