Nick - good for them you say? They chose to take money from others and did not honour their part of the agreement. They chose to take the money not for some basic need, but to invest to make greater returns. To accumulate more wealth for themselves. And when their risk decision did not go the way they preferred, instead of modifying their lifestyle, they decided to steal and lie. Tell us all Nick, what part of this dishonour, lying, cheating and theft "should be supported"? It's exactly this kind of supreme idiocy in thinking that results in the ridiculous skewing of our economy as everyone runs around trying to undo the natural sequence of events from one group of individual's investment/loan decisions (ie. homeowners) at the expense of all the rest of us who make our own decisions who, because we weigh up the risk/reward ratio properly don't find ourselves in such a mess. We don't benefit from the upside the others do, but why must we pay for their downside?

Laura Roberts, London, UK

I don't blame her; I don't do everything my husband says, but he is pretty persuasive. If your husband showed up after almost a year of you thinking he was dead, wouldn't you do just about anything for him? (After bawling him out for making you think he was dead, of course). The question is did she really ever think he was dead?

Lindsay, Sioux Falls, SD

Isn`t anyone just a little sickened by how big a story this has become?
So two people defrauded an insurance company? So what?
It`s hardly the crime of the century - decade- year- month.
Did they murder anyone? Did they physically beat or torture anyone? Did they use weapons to terrorise anyone?
No, to all those.
They tried a scam, and but for ineptitude and naivity, they may have gotten away with it.
They didnt, they will now be punished.
The sheer volume of news coverage given to this,frankly, minor crime, is more sickening than the crime itself.
My guess is that if you costed the airtime on TV, the value of the column space in newspapers, and the time taken by writers and photographers and newsreaders to camp outside the homes or fly to and from Panama to stand outside buildings waffling a load of useless verbal tripe, it would outstrip the scammed amount tenfold or even more.
What a huge "Non-news" event this is.
Drop it, and cover something interesting.

Philjn, Liverpool,

I tell you, the people who assume the costs of insurance are related to fraud or bad debt are sadly mistaken. These behemoth companies make millions in profits and fight any case to save money with the odds often weighted in their favour. Any saved money is NEVER passed on as savings to regular customers. Prices do not go up because of fraud.

Good luck to these people who were desperate and foolish.

clive , los angeles, CA

There is always the possibility the sons are 'in' on it too. The apparent story saying Mrs Darwin cannot forgive herself to not letting her sons know, could this really another twist and a means of protecting her sons from fraud prosecution too, as they have their families and children to think of - its not just Mrs Darwin.

A Jones, UK, UK

They've been watching too much "Prison Break" ,.... LOL!!

Khadijat, Birmingham,

So, Jeanette, you don't think felony insurance fraud is a bad thing?

I think the insurance companies, their customers who ultimately end up paying for the fraud, and the authorities might disagree with you.

fraudster, san diego, CALIFORNIA WOOHOO!

Looks like they are going to need a new category for the "Darwin" awards. This guy deserves to be nominated under the "A Rose is a Rose?" heading. It is just too ironic that he is named Darwin. It is also too bad that he has weakend the gene pool by procreating (twice).

A Currie, North York, Canada

A great tale. If there is any justice they will sell the rights to Hollywood.

They would've got away with it as well, If he'd stayed in Panama, had some cheap work done courtesy of the local booming industry in cosmetic surgery, and just invited his two sons over for Xmas. Fancy walking into a cop shop and thinking you'll get away clean.

Failing that they could've just sold their properties. If it wasn't for the grief they've caused the two sons, I'd have to say I admire them.

Paul, biggleswade, England

One the one hand yes it does seem a bit like a sit-com but I think they need to be punished for emotional cruelty to his father and their own sons. Anyone who has lost a child will understand the torment and torture news that your child or parent has passed away. Apart from the stupidness of the idea in the first place the only mistake he made was coming back. What a complete mess.

Ja, Glastonbury, England

From my experience with insurance companies....it is fraud what these people did, but it is called asset protection when the insurance companies do it to us. Double standard....different names for same thing.

While it does set a bad example by their actions, I do secretly give them a big " A" for effort....just wish they would have done better to "protect their assets".

m.J., Iowa, U.S.A.

Heck, he should have claimed to have been "resurrected!" Who could disprove it??!!

Then he could have started his own religion or have become a televangelist with bad a hairstyle, fleeced his followers of millions of pounds, and lived comfortably with his wife for a long time to come.

That's usually how it works in the States.

Scott, Durham, NC, USA

Good for them! Debt collectors and private banking systems run this world and if they found a way to thwart their financial problems (although they failed miserably and obviously didnt plan it correctly) than good for them.

Unfortunately what they didnt do is load the husband up for 5 years in a far away place so he REALLY didnt know where he was, keep no contact and reconcile later in secret.

Honestly they are idiots but this kind of thing shouldnt be damned it should be supported.

Nick, None/ None,

LOL this gets funnier every day. These two need their own TV show forget prison.

Anthony, London,

A most entertaining story. I must admit it is more fun reading this than reading about all the bad things that go on in the world today. Amazing that they thought they could get away with it.

Jeannette

Jeannette, Shawnigan Lake , BC Canada

david michael.

Why how many people do you know who declare themselves dead. I think its hilarious. very amusing. I also want to know how can the police charge him if he is actually officially dead. His defence could be well you see i cant have done this becaue i am dead or i was when the offences where commited.

karin, scotland,

Oh Dear! Oh Dear! Oh Dear!!!
What transparent tale of fraud.
It is because of people like this that - when the rest of us try to get insurance of whatever form - we find the cost so incredibly high.

David Michael, London, UK