Financial Motive Cases

A franchised service company was destroyed by an intentionally set fire. We were asked to evaluate the financial condition of the business and it’s owner to determine if the owner had the financial motive to set the fire.

We studied tax returns, loan agreement and banking records among other documents. We found that the company was compliant with all debt agreements, was experiencing sales growth and increased profitability. We also noted that the company had been paying down debt due to strong cash flow. In summary, the financial position of the company and its owner was strong so there was no financial motive for arson. Based on our analysis, the insurance company ruled out the business owner as a suspect in the arson.

A fire occurred at the former home of evangelical celebrity. Investigators determined that the fire was intentionally set. The damage resulted in a multi-million dollar insurance claim by the homeowner.

We were requested to perform an analysis of the homeowner’s financial situation and determine if the homeowner had financial motive for arson. Through our analysis, we determined that the homeowner was chronically behind on mortgage and utility payments, and that the homeowner’s credit card balances had risen substantially. We determined the homeowner’s income was insufficient to meet monthly obligations. The insurance company used our findings to help prove the homeowner’s culpability in the arson.