I've been enlightened recently by the Los Angeles Police Department blog. Not that the content is especially enlightening—more like sobering—but it's interesting just the same.

Recently, the LAPD posted about two women in their 70's who were recently arrested on mail fraud charges. It turns out the women had been running a life insurance scam for the past two years, targeted at homeless men. Helen Golay, 75, and Olga Rutterschmidt, 73, preyed on homeless men by offering them room and board in exchange for their signatures—after which they opened life insurance policies for the men, making themselves the sole beneficiaries.

According to the blog, authorities caught on to the scam after two homeless men were killed in hit-and-run accidents. While the accidents were a few years apart, investigators were struck by the fact that Golay and Rutterschmidt were listed as beneficiaries on both men's life insurance policies. Investigators estimated that the women have collected over $2 million in life insurance claims. Sixteen [!] claims were taken out on one victim; three were taken out on another. And, since the insurance forms were sent via U.S. mail, the United States Postal Inspection has also been brought into the investigation.

Federal mail fraud, insurance fraud and homicide. Those are some hefty charges, associated with some hefty jail time. Not exactly the way I'd want to spend my golden years...

Check out the full post on the LAPD blog here. It's by far one of the most interesting blogs I've seen lately. It's a good blend of COPS and America's Most Wanted, only without the profane language and scary TV show host. :)

[Hat tip]: the Naked Conversations blog