Verdon Taylor, 72, of Leesburg, was found guilty of conspiracy, wire fraud, use of fire to commit a federal felony, and witness tampering. insurance companies paid roughly $1 million in claims to conspirators for fires set in vehicles, mobile homes and rental properties.

A Florida man was convicted by a federal jury in Richmond on Wednesday in a 15-year insurance fraud scheme involving at least 27 fires in Richmond, Henrico County and Florida.


Verdon Taylor, 72, of Leesburg, was found guilty of conspiracy, wire fraud, use of fire to commit a federal felony, and witness tampering. Four co-defendants earlier pleaded guilty in the case.


Authorities said insurance companies paid roughly $1 million in claims to conspirators for fires set in vehicles, mobile homes and rental properties.


Vershawn Jackson, 39, and Marie Taylor, 54, both of Richmond; Eugenia Fleming, 57, of Victoria; and Sylvia Jackson, 59, of Tampa, Fla., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and each faces up to 20 years in prison.


Verdon Taylor faces a maximum of 50 years in prison when he is sentenced on Jan. 2.


According to court records and trial evidence, the co-conspirators ran a long-running arson-for-profit scheme in which they bought cars or mobile homes at auction, or signed leases at rental properties, insured the property, and then set fire to the insured property to collect insurance money.



Their indictment this year alleged that the fraud involved 30 properties and began as early as 2000, continuing until as recently as November.


The case was investigated by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the fire departments in Henrico and Richmond.

Six People Arrested for Alleged Insurance Fraud Conspiracy Involving Over 30 Fires

RICHMOND, Va. – Six people were arrested yesterday for their alleged roles in an insurance fraud conspiracy involving over 30 fires, pursuant to an indictment unsealed in federal court today.

According to the indictment, from as early as May 2000 until as recently as Nov. 30, 2016, the defendants, in various combinations, had a series of over 30 fires—including fires consuming single-family homes, trailers, mobile homes, and cars. The details of each fire vary, but the frequent pattern was for the defendants allegedly to buy a car or home at auction or in foreclosure, insure it, and then collect insurance proceeds in excess of the purchase price after it burned.

In furtherance of their scheme, the defendants allegedly made numerous misrepresentations, both in writing and in interviews—sometimes under oath—to insurance companies, firefighters, and other law enforcement officers. The per-fire insurance payout for the fires ranged from approximately $1,000 to over $300,000, with the alleged insurance payouts in connection with the scheme totaling over $900,000.

The following defendants made their initial appearance in federal court after being arrested yesterday on the charges listed below:

Name	Age	City	Charge(s)
Verdon Taylor	72	Leesburg, Fla.	Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, use of fire to commit a federal felony, witness tampering
Vershawn Jackson	37	Sandston, Va.	Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, use of fire to commit a federal felony
Sylvia Mitchell	58	Tampa, Fla.	Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Marie Taylor	54	Richmond, Va.	Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Dorel Watson	32	Tampa, Fla.	Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
Eugenia Fleming	57	Victoria, Va.	Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, use of fire to commit a federal felony, false statement

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Michael B. Boxler, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after defendants Jackson, Taylor, and Fleming made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge David J. Novak. The Henrico County Fire Marshal’s Office and the City of Richmond Department of Fire and Emergency Services provided assistance in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Harbach, II is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:17-cr-29.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.