Suspended jail terms have been given to a Gloucester and his ex-wife, who tried to con Norwich Union out of £300,000.
A Gloucester couple have been sentenced to suspended jail terms for insurance fraud, the Guardian reports.
Ahmad Akhtary and his ex-wife Anne hatched a plot which would see the 34-year-old man fake his own death in order to claim a £300,000 life insurance payout on their shared policy. Anne, 43, told neighbours that Mr Akhtary had gone overseas and "died of a brain tumour" in 2006, after she gained access to a fake death certificate from Afghanistan.
Despite his ex-wife subsequently submitting a claim with life insurance provider Norwich Union, Mr Akhtary continued to live openly in Gloucester. The town's crown court even heard that he visited a local GP six months after his "death", as well as working in a local factory and continuing to pay his taxes.
For its part, Norwich Union made no payment to the couple, as the deception was discovered in time. Both pleaded guilty to obtaining money by deception at the trial.
The pair were given nine month jail sentences, suspended for two years, by judge Mark Horton. Mr Akhtary was also ordered to do 60 hours of community service, while his wife was given 40 hours.
