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Press Release

Couple Indicted For Sinkhole Fraud

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Glenn (64) and Kathryn (63) Jasen, both of Spring Hill, with wire fraud, a federal felony. If convicted, they each face a maximum of 20 years in prison.

According to the indictment, the Jasens owned a home in Spring Hill, Florida.  They detected a sinkhole on the property and made a sinkhole claim to their insurer, Citizens Insurance. Instead of repairing the sinkhole with the funds received from the insurer, the Jasens accepted the insurer’s check and deposited it into a bank account. Thereafter, the Jasens put the home up for sale. In the real estate disclosures given to the purchaser of the house, the Jasens lied about the existence of the sinkhole, and the fact that they had previously made a sinkhole claim on the property.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless,  and until, proven guilty.

“The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is committed to investigating financial crimes that personally impact the citizens of the State of Florida. We will continue to work with the prosecutorial team to bring these criminals to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Rick Ramirez, Tampa Bay Regional Operations Center.

This case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas N. Palermo.

Updated July 20, 2015

Topic
Financial Fraud