Insurance Fraud Casebook: Paying a Premium for Crime

Living the Dream, Keeping Up the Lie

ANDRIES J. BRUMMER

Christian Lionel Allan was 28 years old, single, good looking, tall and lanky, with short blond hair and a slightly receding hairline. He was fit and in the prime of his life. As the firstborn son, he was named after his father, a man he barely remembered. He took pride in the fact that he was a well-educated, white, young male with above-average intelligence. Coming from a difficult childhood in which money was always an issue, he dreamed of the good life and was not going to waste time getting what he wanted. He had something to prove. He was ambitious and had big plans, but to realize those plans, he needed money and opportunity.

Christian came from a broken family in South Africa and was passed on to family friends, Jeremy and Melinda Burger, at an early age. This left an indelible mark on the young man's mind during his formative years and led to his obsession with being financially self-sufficient. The Burgers were kind-hearted, childless people who welcomed Christian into their home as their own son. They saw to the needs of the young boy and made sure he was properly schooled. Jeremy Burger suffered from epilepsy, and this condition would eventually form the basis of Christian's false disability and income continuation benefits claim.

After finishing high school, Christian obtained his bachelor's degree in mechanical ...