Man Who Faked Death Sentenced in South Dakota

A Florida man was sentenced Monday to three years in prison and ordered to help repay near $2 million for faking his death to collect life insurance proceeds.

Forty-six-year-old Vij Misir had pleaded guilty in October to conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

The U.S. Attorney’s office said his ex-wife, Rajmatee Kapadia, pleaded guilty Monday to the same charge and will be sentenced later.

The government said the couple, while married and living in Florida, conspired to lead authorities to believe Misir had died of food poisoning during a 2003 family vacation in Malaysia.

Prosecutors said Kapadia then collected $1.99 million from life insurance companies in Sioux Falls and California. Prosecutors said the scheme began to unravel in 2009 when Misir tried to renew his passport at the U.S. Embassy in Indonesia.