Man Found Guilty of Fraud for Drowning Two Autistic Sons to ‘Cash in’ on Their Insurance Policies

A California father has been found guilty of 13 felony charges for driving his car off a Los Angeles pier and killing his two autistic sons to collect money from their insurance policies, authorities said Tuesday. Ali Elmezayen, 45, was convicted of mail and wire fraud, identity theft, and money laundering. “Dissatisfied with his financial and family situation, Mr. Elmezayen fraudulently purchased millions of dollars in insurance on his common-law wife and disabled young sons, and then drove them off a pier in order to cash in,” United States Attorney Nick Hanna said. “These two boys deserved a loving father; instead they got a man who put his greed and self-interest above their lives.” Prosecutors said 12 days after the 2-year contestability period on the last of his insurance policies expired, Elmezayen drove the car with his wife and two youngest children strapped in their car seats off of a commercial fishing pier. His wife survived the incident, but their two sons drowned. Elmezayen bought more than $7 million worth of life and accidental death insurance policies on himself and his family between July 2012 and March 2013, and collected $260,000 after their deaths, according to trial evidence.