CLERKS OFFICE U S. DIST.

COURT
AT ABINGDON,VA
FILED

AF2 2i 2217
IN TH E U N ITED STA TES DISTRIC T C O U RT
JU C UDLEX
FO R TH E W E STER N D ISTRIC T O F W R G INIA BY:
A BIN G D O N D IV ISIO N EPUW CLERK

UM TED STA TES O F A M ER ICA

,casexo. l.
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V.
Violations:18U.S.C.j1341
M ICH AE L PA UL W E BE 18U.S.C.j1343

IN DIC TM EN T

INTR O DU C TIO N
The Grand Jtlry chargesthatata11tim esmaterialtotllisIndictment:
1. M ICH AEL PAUL RIEBE was an owner/agent ofGolden Rule Fnmily M anagem ent,
LLC (hereinafter''GoldenRu1e'').
2. On O dober 16, 2013,G olden Rule Fnm ily M anagem ent,LLC,plzrchased the property
located at 18182 U .S.Highway 58,Castlewood,Virginia,for$470,500.00,to use itasa
funeralhome(hereinafter''FuneralHome'').
3. In November,2013,Golden Rule obtained insurance coverageup to $850,000.00 on the
FuneralHom ewith H.lnsurance Com pany.
4. On October 2, 2014, Golden Rule increased its coverage on the Funeral Hom e to
$1,200,000.00.
5. On October 22,2014,in the early morning hours,the RussellCounty Sheriffs Office
received areportthattheFuneralHomein Castlewood,Virginia,wason fre.
6. On November 13,2014,Golden Rule retained the 51-111of GGG/AI,a public adjuster
firm .
7. Al1datesreferenced in thelndictm entaretEon orabout''those dates.

C O U N TS ON E to FIV E
(W ireFraud)
The Grand Jtlry charges that:
8. The Introduction to the Indictm ent is incorporated by reference into these Counts of the
Indictm entas iffully setforth herein.

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 On or about the following dates, in the W estern District of Virginia and elsewhere,
M ICH AEL PAU L R IEBE, as a principal and aider and abettor, having devised or
intending to devise aschem eand artificeto defraud and forobtainingm oney by m eansof
false and fraudulentpretenses,representations,and prom ises,caused to be transm itted by
means of wire com mtmications in interstate comm erce,writings, signs, signals, and
sotm ds for the purpose of executing such schem e. The schem e involved M ICH A EL
PAUL RIEBE presenting false information concem ing the contentsoftheFuneralHom e
atthe tim e ofthe fire.
C ount1
10.On M arch 5, 2015, M ICH AE L PA UL R IEBE caused to be sent a m essage via
electronic mail to A .M .,an agent of GGG/AI, containing a property list of contents
allegedly lost in the fire to create a Business Personal Property Claim (hereinafler
,,sppc,,)
C ount2
11.On A pril 14, 2015, R. A ccotm ting and lnventory Services' agent, 0 . C ., em ailed
M ICH AEL PA U L W E BE an updated BPPC forhim to review and ftm lish pricing and
yearobtained inform ation.
C ount3
12.On M ay 19,2015,M ICHAEL PAUL RIEBE causedto besenta messagevia electronic
m ailto 0.C.afraudulent invoiceâom asupply company.

C ount4
13.On M ay 22,2015,M ICH AEL PAUL RIEBE caused tobesentam essagevia electronic
m ailto GGG/AIwith the signed Proof ofLoss Form s for PersonalProperty Loss and
BusinessInternzption Loss.

C ount5
14.On August 19, M ICH A EL PAU L RIEBE caused to be sent a m essage via electronic
m ailto G GG /A I confirm ing his ''verbal''approvalto subm it the fraudulent BPPC to H .
Insurance Com pany.

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 15.Allin violation ofTitle 18,United StatesCode,Sections2 and 1343

CO U N T SlX
(M ailFraud)
The Grand Jury chargesthat:
16.Thelntroduction isincorporated by referenceinto thisCotmtoftheIndictm entasiffully
setforth herein.
17.On M ay 22,2015,in the W estern D istrictofV irginia and elsew here,M IC H AEL PAU L
RIEBE,as a principaland aider and abettor,having devised or intending to devise a
schem eand artificeto defraud and forobtainingm oney by m eansoffalseand fraudulent
pretenses,representations,and prom ises,knowingly caused to be delivered by m ail,or
any private or com m ercial interstate carrier, according to the direction thereon, any
m atter orthing forthe purpose ofexecuting such schem e and artifice.
18.On M ay 22,2015,M ICHAEL PAUL RIEBE caused to be sentby m ailorprivate or
comm ercialinterstate caniersigned ProofofLossForm sforPersonalProperty Lossand
BusinessIntecuption Loss
19.A11in violation ofTitle 18,United StatesCode,Sections2 and 1341.

ATRUEBILL thisYA dayofApri

,
.

l,2017.
/SFOREPERSON

CK OU N TCA STLE
Acting United StatesAttorney

UCase
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