BARRIE –Police in Barrie believe a multimillion-dollar fire in the city's downtown was deliberately set to stage an insurance fraud.
A late-night blaze in early December was preceded by a loud explosion in a restaurant housed in a historic downtown building that dated back to 1877.
There were no injuries, but more than 40 people had to be evacuated from several apartments above the Royal Thai Cuisine restaurant.
Two Toronto residents are now facing charges, and police say they had business connections to the Riviera restaurant, which was also destroyed in the fire.
Two other businesses were gutted, while others suffered damage.
John Cartolano, 62, is charged with arson endangering life, obstructing justice and fraud, and Laverne Williams, 40, is charged with fraud and obstructing justice.
Why in the world would someone risk their life and future for this? The same thing happened locally and the man was busted. Now he is in prison for several years leaving his kids behind basically with nothing.
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 04:39 pm Post Subject:
I personally do not feel bad and hope they catch fraudulent activity. I am sure this is a good reason insurance costs what it does these days.
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:28 am Post Subject: insurance
GOSH!!_______ ya hear about stories, like this ( it seems, anyway) on a daily basis. It's sad to read. I would bet the owners don't think they have any other 'way out' of the situation. I live in a small town. A 'Mom and Pop' business burnt to the ground. The owners DID have Insurance, however, the Investigators found out the fire was set by a family member ( the son, I think). SOOOO..........the Investigators just ASSUMED the parents were 'in on it', too. They walked away with nothing.
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 02:46 pm Post Subject:
It has always amazed me how 'good upstanding folks' that wouldn't think of stealing a penny piece of candy don't think twice about it with an ins. carrier...then the harder the economy gets fraud just skyrockets on large and small scales.
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 06:49 pm Post Subject:
More and more these days you hear these types of stories. So with so much attention on them it would surely bring one to relize they are "playing with fire" when attempting fraud. I am not so sure how people figure they will walk away scotch free. Fact is the person commiting the fraud may be a victim of this economy but so are all of us and by committing fraud they makes all of us bigger victims because it contibute to rising rates.
Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 09:09 am Post Subject:
why? the answer is probably simple. there could only be a reason behind such attempts at fraudulent claims: money!
people these days are so greedy, and so desperate for that quick cash, that they're clouded from the proper judgement. people think that they can escape from the clutches of the law, but they are wrong. the economis crisis is just worsening the situation, as people get financially desperate. these people need to be taught a lesson.
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 03:19 am Post Subject:
human nature --- greedy.
probably these people are thinking of closing the restaurant as they were tired of running it already? so they decided to set fire to it and claim some money.
second possibility --- desperate
perhaps their business was failing? then they decided that this could not go on and went on to set fire so that they could claim some money to settle their monetary problems
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:50 pm Post Subject:
Very true indeed!
Often do we plan such things that we can't accept a fallout of. The worst sufferers are our loved ones.
Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 08:23 pm Post Subject:
I dont know why you would risk all this for money. Sometimes the GREED kicks in and people dont think about what there doing and hurting and ruining other people lifes. People like this in my opinion deserve to be in jail/prison.
Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 12:17 pm Post Subject:
Hi GarySnober,
I dont know why you would risk all this for money.
Some of the Con artists would work to create opportunities. The others would choose to wait for opportunities. The insurance industry has a lot of money involved in the business. So, it would be real challenge for all of us to curb malpractices, especially under the current downturn.
Steven
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