Suspect in False-Death Insurance Fraud Missing

A Northridge woman, who state insurance officials believe falsely reported her mother’s death to collect on life insurance, failed to show up for her arraignment Friday and may have fled to her native Philippines, a state investigator said.

Imelda Rodriguez, 43, was arrested Nov. 6 on suspicion of insurance fraud and grand theft and posted $10,000 bail last Saturday, said Ronald E. Warthen, chief investigator for the state Department of Insurance Fraud Bureau.

Warthen said a warrant has been issued for her arrest. However, since the United States has no extradition agreement with the Philippines, it will be difficult to find and prosecute Rodriguez if she has fled to that country, Warthen said.

A warrant has also been issued for her husband, Eduardo Rodriguez, 43, who is believed to be in the Philippines as well. Department investigators accused Imelda Rodriguez of falsely reporting the death of her mother, Gloria Gener, and Eduardo Rodriguez of falsely reporting the death of Imelda Rodriguez in order to collect more than $1 million on five separate insurance policies.

At the time of Imelda Rodriguez’s arrest, the couple had collected $150,000 from two insurance companies.

A third insurance company discovered evidence that Rodriguez and Gener were alive during a routine investigation and reported its findings to state investigators, Warthen said. The investigators found the mother and daughter living in a Northridge apartment.