Claimed It Was Politically Motivated
In September 2020, Denis Molla alleged his camper van was torched and graffiti saying “Biden 2020” and “BLM” was spray-painted on his garage door because of the Trump 2020 flags he had on display.
The day after the inferno, Molla appeared on local television in an emotional interview in which he recalled seeing three people running away from his home before the vehicle exploded ― and that in the immediate aftermath he’d just been focused on getting his two children, ages 2 years and 5 months, and their puppies safely off the property.
On Tuesday, Molla pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of wire fraud after “filing fraudulent insurance claims for a staged arson,” according to a statement from the Department of Justice.
Police discovered that Molla started his own property on fire and spray painted the graffiti on his own garage. He them submitted multiple insurance claims seeking coverage for the damage to his garage, camper, vehicles, and residence caused by the fire, court documents show.
Molla also created and allowed others to start two GoFundMe accounts to benefit Molla and his family. In total, Molla submitted more than $300,000 in fraudulent insurance claims, of which he received approximately $61,000 from his insurance company. Molla also received more than $17,000 from individual donors via GoFundMe.
Molla’s attorney told McClatchy News that Molla was “obviously remorseful during his federal plea hearing….He is a wonderful husband and father who made a mistake that he sincerely regrets. Unlike many others, he has accepted full responsibility for his actions and is sorry for what happened.”
Molla filed multiple fraudulent insurance claims for damages to his garage, camper, vehicles, and house from the fake arson, according to an Oct. 11 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota. When these claims were denied, he threatened to report the insurance company and turned to GoFundMe to raise money, the indictment says.
Molla’s sentencing hearing has not been scheduled, the news release said. He faces a maximum sentencing of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Molla has paid back he insurance money and has saved enough to pay back GoFundMe.
