The Michigan Court of Appeals recently upheld the arson conviction of Patrick Nolan, a Plymouth man found guilty of setting his own house on fire back in 2019. According to a press release from the office of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, Nolan was convicted in October 2023 on counts of Arson of an Insured Dwelling and 2nd Degree Arson. His scheme not only endangered lives but was a stark attempt to defraud his insurer through a deliberately staged calamity.
Engulfed by flames in the early hours of New Year's Day 2019, the act was initially pegged as a tragedy until it unfurled into something more sinister: an insurance scam. Nolan, the homeowner, was discovered to have set the blaze intentionally, subsequently filing a claim to cash in on the loss. His plan, however, did not hold up to scrutiny, and a Wayne County jury saw fit to sentence him to a term of 7-20 years in prison and to foot the insurance bill to the tune of $272,581 in restitution.
As per the Michigan Attorney General's website, Dana Nessel remarked that "Arson is not a victimless crime. It endangers lives, destroys property, and raises insurance costs for honest homeowners." She expressed satisfaction with the court's decision to uphold Nolan's conviction and reiterated her ongoing commitment to rooting out such fraudulent activity.
Complementing the efforts of the attorney general's office, the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) played a critical role in bringing Nolan to justice. The Department's Fraud Investigation Unit (FIU), which looks into insurance and financial market-related criminal activities, collaborated closely with law enforcement, including the Attorney General, to see the arsonist prosecuted. The DIFS FIU offers an avenue for the public to report suspicions of insurance fraud, which can be done anonymously either online or via a phone call.
