Arsonists Planted Smoke-Damaged Possessions As Part Of Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Scheme

  Monday, November 11th, 2019 Source: San Jose Mercury News

A 48-year-old San Jose man pleaded guilty this week to orchestrating a series of fires as part of a scheme to collect millions of dollars in damages, authorities said.

The house, business and warehouse fires occurred in San Jose and Stockton between December 2011 and September 2013, according to the California Department of Insurance.

In a news release Thursday, the department said it learned of the scam in January 2014 when a tipster provided the exact address of where the next house fire would occur.

The department opened a joint investigation, dubbed Operation Firebird, with the San Jose Fire Department, Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office and San Joaquin District Attorney’s Office.

Chen made it appear as though fires at two homes were the result of careless cooking accidents, according to the department. He also planted smoke-damaged possessions, many of which had already been used in insurance claims from fires at his warehouses and businesses.

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