Is Faking Your Death a Crime?

Faking a death? An act of faking your death is also called pseudocide. This illegal action had been happening for so long. Generally, there are so many questions that click in everyone’s mind, like how and why a human would ever plan this? However, for some people, their death-faking execution may find a lead while some people end up having consequences.

Is Faking Your Death a Crime?

Is it illegal to fake your death?

Is faking your death illegal? Wondering if is it illegal to fake your death? Faking your death is technically not illegal but it is a demonstration of breaking laws. Moreover, it is not a crime but a commission of fraud. Although, faking death scenarios let us ask the question, “why people commit suicide?” There are multiple reasons why people fake their death while their existence is real.  For example; to run away from death warrants, to get your money from life insurance, etc. For instance; if a person came out from pseudocide without breaking laws, that person still is not allowed by the United States government to make a new identity. 

Following are the reasons with compelling stories of why people fake their deaths. 

● Insurance Fraud:

The fraud was conducted by a couple named husband John Darwin and wife Anne. The couple executed a plan to make Darwin disappeared and get his life insurance money. Fortunately, their plan was successful. Darwin vanished and Anne started living in another place. When Anne received her insurance money, her husband came back to her. However, the tenant asks them about Darwin “isn’t he supposed to be dead?” Although, the tenant did not inform the concerned authorities. But four years later, a picture of John was everywhere in a British newspaper and on the internet. Anne confessed that it is her husband’s picture that is alive. The government caught him in insurance fraud and sentenced him to more than six years imprisonment.  

● Execution Through Books 

The author of Playing Death: A Journey Through The World Of Death Fraud Elizabeth Greenwood wrote down her serious thoughts for invisibility. Although she was not intended to fake her death in reality. But she exposes her plan of how to avoid student loans by faking death. Along with some books on faking death, several movies have executed the art of invisibility. For example; Nick Fury in Winter Soldier, Lord Black in Sherlock Holmes, etc.

● Avoid  Imprisonment 

The other reason for pseudocide is to avoid punishment. The story of Samuel Israel all a former hedge funder of “Ponzi Scheme” depicts his performance towards the avoidance of his sentence. The news was spread that he has committed suicide from New York Bridge. Although, the police did not find any clue or even his body in the river which left the authorities skeptical. After a month he came in front and surrender himself when he saw his poster says “America’s most wanted”. His sentence prison sentence was of 22 years. When Israel’s fourteen years were remaining the judge added two years more of bail jumping from his real imprisonment.

● To See the Worth of Their Existence:

If you are thinking that faking death is mostly committed by middle-class people to get their insurance money. Then you might change your thought by knowing “Lord” Timothy Dexter’s story. He was an entrepreneur. Although, his financial status was very well stabled. The only thing leaving him behind was illiteracy. He was uneducated which made him always feel avoided and disrespected. Moreover, for such reasons, Dexter planned to commit pseudocide just to see his worth among people. Eventually, he planned his funeral in which 3,000 people arrived including his family. After six years he died for real and lost all the desirable attention he always wanted.

● Fake Death for Proposal: 

Alexy Bykov broke all the love boundaries by faking his death to propose to his girlfriend. Bykov took help from a screenwriter, make-up artist, and director to create a scene believable. His team created a dreadful car accident in which Bykov was covered in blood and lying in the middle of the road. After completing the setup, a made-up paramedic informed his girlfriend. She was terrified after watching his boyfriend death and started sobbing. His girlfriend’s breakdown was a cue for Bykov to come back to the living and propose to her. Further, he added the reason for this scene was to make her realize “how empty her life would be without him” Fortunately, she accepted his proposal. Although, she was angry about this stupid move and she stated: “she wanted to kill him for real”.

Conducting such frauds will imply civil charges. It counts as felonies that end up with going to jail, payment of heavy fines, and restitution. 

Additionally, the conclusion manifests to choose your initial life over faking your death. Defrauding with government and agencies will not give you a life with peace. 

Although she was not intended to fake her death in reality, she has to gather casket prices.