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November 5, 2004

Queens funeral director admits insurance fraud

Neil Foster Phillips, a Queens funeral director, has admitted that he and his wife purchased life insurance policies for people who (usually) didn't exist and then prepared phony death certificates to cash in on the policies. They made $3.1 million this way.

Clever scam, right? Well, not clever enough: they got caught in January, and now Phillips is facing 7 years in jail. Yesterday, he and his wife, a retired corrections officer, worked out a plea deal. She'll only have to go to jail for a couple of years, and then can come home and take care of their kids.

Well, come "home" to some place else, since they had to fofeit the million-dollar house they bought with the illegal proceeds of this scheme.

In addition to arranging the deaths of imaginary people, Phillips reported the death of his still-living brother-in-law and Phillips' wife collected the funds on the policy they set up.

The funeral home where Phillips worked is owned by his father, who has not been legally implicated. Phillips himself also worked as a junior high guidance counselor, but was fired after his arrest.

Source: NYP

categories: Fraud, Queens
posted by adm at November 5, 2004 10:10 AM

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