Faked death

John Darwin, a chap from a place near Hartlepool in northern England, went missing after a canoeing incident offshore there. This happened in 2002. His body was never found, and in 2003, he was declared dead. His wife claimed the life insurance policy and left for a new life in Panama.

Something began to reek rather badly, when a chap reported to police, claiming to have lost all memory of the previous 5 years. That was actually not true. A photograph turned up, showing him and his wife in Panama, smiling broadly to camera in the company of a property developer. The man in question was in fact John Darwin, the chap who had been declared dead in 2002.

It now appears that the couple had embarked on a colossal ruse to claim the insurance policy. They had not even told their sons, who were initially elated at the reappearance of their father, whom they thought to be dead. The sons have declared that they feel the victims of a huge scam, and do not want further contact with their parents. The wife has said that she feels she has married the wrong man and her life has turned to hell.

More of this weird saga here.