Florida Man Guilty of $1.2M Oil Spill Claims Fraud

A South Florida man is facing a potentially lengthy prison sentence after a jury convicted him of attempting to defraud the BP oil spill claims fund out of $1.2 million.

A jury on Tuesday convicted 32-year-old Jean Mari Lindor of all counts, including wire and mail fraud, identity theft and filing of false tax returns. The 34 mail and wire fraud convictions alone carry maximum prison sentences of 20 years each.

Lindor is to be sentenced July 30 in Miami federal court.

Trial testimony showed that Lindor and his not-for-profit business filed claims purporting to be from employees of Florida Keys restaurants, hotels and clubs that had lost income due to the 2010 spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The claims were actually fraudulent.