SPOKANE, Wash. — The ringleader of a multimillion-dollar insurance fraud scheme was sentenced in Spokane Federal Court Thursday to 12 years of federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
On top of the sentencing, William Oldham Mize was also ordered to pay over $6.6 million in restitution to insurance companies and $426,999 in restitution to the IRS.
According to court documents, Mize was the ringleader of an insurance fraud scheme that intentionally caused car crashes, boat crashes and staged home “accidents” so he could file fake insurance claims and collect the payouts.
The schemes happened between 2013 and 2018 in both Washington and Nevada. Mize received most of the over $6 million received by the insurance claims.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington said over $2 million in assets were seized from Mize and his co-conspirators. This included multiple homes, cars, boats and cash.
Mize first appeared in federal court in January of 2019. After that first appearance, he was released and fled from law enforcement supervision in July of that year. As a fugitive, he lived under multiple false identities.