Matthew Johnson, 42, from Misterton, has been locked up for 28 months after trying to cash in on bogus insurance claims—including pretend thefts of valuable LEGO sets. The Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) cracked the case wide open at Nottingham Crown Court.
Scam Details Revealed
Between May 2021 and January 2022, Johnson faked multiple claims to AXA Insurance about burglaries at homes in Shetland and Goole. His false reports included expensive goods like MacBooks, TVs, gaming consoles, fishing gear—and stacks of collectible LEGO. His crafty scams earned him over £14,000 across four separate claims.
Police Unmask Web of Lies
Detective Constable Richard Fox, IFED: “Johnson spun an elaborate web of fake IDs, forged documents and invented thefts to rip off the insurance system. Thanks to AXA’s sharp eye and our relentless investigation, justice caught up with him. Insurance fraud hits honest customers hard. We’re committed to catching all offenders.”
AXA grew suspicious after spotting dodgy paperwork—same receipts used multiple times and altered invoices made to fit policy addresses. IFED’s probe confirmed the documents were faker than a £5 note. They even found that some invoices were for products that hadn’t even been sold when Johnson claimed they were stolen.
Evidence Found in Home Raid
In June 2023, cops raided Johnson’s Misterton home. Among the loot? A huge stash of untouched LEGO matching his “stolen” claims displayed right in the living room. A raid on his converted shed seized an iMac loaded with fake invoices, insurance screenshots, and multiple identity docs.
Further digging revealed Johnson also applied for insurance under the fake name Gavin Beadle, linking bogus claims to different addresses but banking details that led straight back to him. The Passport Office and DVLA confirmed the supporting IDs were forgeries.
Johnson now faces a court-ordered timeline to repay the cash he fraudulently pocketed.
