Donald Trump supporter Denis Molla, of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, claimed a blaze outside his own home was started because of his support for former President Donald Trump. But it turns out, he set the fire himself, authorities said.
As reported by local station KARE-11 News, Molla claimed that in September 2020, his camper van was torched and graffiti saying “Biden 2020” and “BLM” was spray-painted on his garage door because of the Trump 2020 flags he had on display.
The day after the incident, Molla appeared on local television in an emotional interview in which he recalled seeing three people running away from his home before the vehicle exploded ― and that in the immediate aftermath he’d just been focused on getting his two children, ages 2 years and 5 months, and their puppies safely off the property.
According to the report, Molla received about $61,000 in insurance payouts and $17,000 in donations via a GoFundMe crowdfunding page.
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However, Molla was arrested and charged with wire fraud after investigators discovered that his camper van was blown up by himself, according to a statement from the Department of Justice.
On Tuesday, Molla pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of wire fraud for “filing fraudulent insurance claims for a staged arson.”
“In reality, Molla started his own property on fire and spray painted the graffiti on his own garage,” the statement said.
Watch the report from KARE-11 News below:
