A Hollywood couple is accused of turning life insurance into their personal side hustle, with prosecutors saying a yearslong scheme to score payouts has finally caught up with them. Phillip Salvatore Nunzio Jr., 59, and his wife, 56-year-old Christine Ann Nunzio, were arrested Wednesday in Broward County, where they now face a stack of felony charges tied to what investigators describe as a long-running life-insurance fraud operation stretching from at least 2017 through 2023 and involving group policies with major carriers.
According to a complaint affidavit obtained by Local 10, investigators allege Christine Nunzio used business entities, including C&C Construction and Design Group Inc., to fabricate the appearance of legitimate employment so people could be enrolled in group life-insurance plans. In some cases, those individuals were allegedly signed up without their knowledge or consent. Jail records reviewed by Local 10 show both Nunzios face more than 20 charges, including racketeering, money laundering, insurance fraud and criminal use of personal identification information.
How investigators say the scheme worked
The Florida Department of Financial Services says its Criminal Investigations Division, which handles insurance-fraud cases statewide, led the probe into the Nunzios. During a forensic review of a work laptop linked to Christine Nunzio, investigators say they recovered claim forms, payroll spreadsheets, job descriptions and email correspondence that helped them map out the alleged operation.
Money trail and payouts
Local 10 reports that one life-insurance claim tied to the case was paid out for exactly $100,284.93. Additional claims of roughly $110,000 and $63,700 were also deposited into accounts that investigators say the couple controlled. According to the affidavit, those deposits were quickly followed by a flurry of transfers between accounts, and financial records reviewed in the investigation show loan defaults totaling more than $145,000.
Charges and custody
Prosecutors say the couple were booked on multiple felony counts linked to the alleged scheme and remain in custody at the Broward County Main Jail, operated by the Broward Sheriff's Office, at 555 SE 1st Ave. in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
Why prosecutors flagged the case
Authorities say schemes that enroll unsuspecting or non-consenting people in group life-insurance policies and then seek payouts in their names do more than pad a bank account. They argue that cases like this undermine confidence in employer-sponsored benefits and can contribute to higher costs that eventually reach consumers. The DFS Criminal Investigations Division has publicly highlighted several insurance-fraud prosecutions across Florida in recent months, and officials say cracking down on similar conduct remains a priority.
The investigation into the Nunzio case is still active, and prosecutors say future court filings will chart the next steps. Officials have not offered further public comment beyond what appears in the affidavit obtained by Local 10. This story will be updated as additional documents or court dates become available.
