A Florida man who faked his death after his family tried to claim $6.6 million in life insurance was sentenced to 14 years in prison by a federal judge, the Florida Times-Union reported.
Jose Lantigua, 63, faked his death in 2013 in Venezuela while claiming he was being treated for mad cow disease, the court claims.
Lantigua's estranged wife Daphne Simpson was sentenced to five years of probation. The court claims that she was considered more of a victim than a criminal as part of Lantigua's plot.
Lantigua told Simpson that he was being chased by a drug cartel, and that it was best for him to fake his death. Simpson believed that their lives were at stake. That was until 2015 when Lantigua was busted by federal agents living at home owned by Simpson in North Carolina, the Times-Union reported.
As part of an agreement, Lantigua owes creditors $2.9 million, while Simpson owes $871,000. Both Simpson and Lantigua claim that the money is gone.
