Toronto police said Friday they have laid charges against a couple in connection with an alleged $1 million life insurance scam.
Police allege that Alireza Shojaei, 44, purchased several life insurance policies, which total $3.525 million, while living in the Toronto area. In 2008, they report that the man and his wife, Koukab Shojaei, 41, of Mission Viejo, Ca. travelled to Iran from Toronto. Police say that the wife then falsely claimed her husband died of a heart attack while in Iran, and that she then initiated the death-claims process. The insurance companies settled the claims; and, as a result, police say that the companies lost $1.01 million. The money has not been recovered.
The allegations in the case have not been proven.
On February 11, U.S. Marshals arrested the couple in Los Angeles, and they were extradited from Los Angeles to Toronto on July 25 and charged with four counts of fraud. The wife also faces nine counts of uttering a forged document.
They are scheduled to appear in court Friday.