Feds sue seeking forfeiture of $275K in life insurance for one of the San Bernardino shooters
The feds have filed a civil forfeiture action to wrest some $275,000 in life insurance proceeds from survivors of one of the San Bernardino shooters.
“Terrorists must not be permitted to provide for their designated beneficiaries through their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Eileen Decker in a written statement announcing the Tuesday lawsuit by her Los Angeles office.
The primary beneficiary of two life insurance policies for Syed Rizwan Farook is his mother, reports the Los Angeles Times (sub. req.). Although there is no indication that she has done anything wrong, the complaint filed by Decker says the insurance payout was obtained through an act of terrorism, which makes it subject to forfeiture under federal law.
Inspired by Islamic extremism, authorities have said, Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, opened fire on a group of his San Bernardino County co-workers, at a December holiday party. Fourteen were killed and another 21 injured. The couple themselves died within hours, after a shootout with police.
“My office intends to explore every legal option available to us to ensure these funds are made available to the victims of this horrific crime,” Decker said. “We will continue to use every tool available to seek justice on behalf of the victims of the San Bernardino terrorist attacks.”
Agence France-Presse, the Riverside Press-Enterprise and Reuters also have stories about the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Los Angeles.
None of the articles includes any comment from beneficiaries of the life insurance, and the life insurer that issued the policies could not be reached on Tuesday afternoon, Reuters said.
