A federal jury has found Christopher Filline, the former police chief of Castroville, Texas, guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Filline, 58, was accused of orchestrating a scheme to destroy his own vehicle and fraudulently claim it was stolen to collect insurance money.
Evidence presented at trial revealed that in 2016, Filline conspired with two individuals to set his vehicle ablaze. He then filed a false police report and insurance claim with Farmers Insurance Group, stating that his vehicle had been stolen. As a result of this fraudulent claim, Filline received a payout of $14,388.25.
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Filline, who was indicted in January 2020, now faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 22, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas announced the conviction.
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