Sydney - A 28-year-old Australian conspired with his mother to fake his drowning death in Ecuador so he could claim 240,000 Australian dollars (206,000 dollars) on a life insurance policy, a court in Sydney was told Wednesday. Paul Terroni was denied bail on charges of using a false passport and obtaining money by deception.
Terroni left Australia for Ecuador in 2006 and was reported drowned the following year. The insurance company discovered he had not drowned but had taken out an Ecuadorian passport in a different name, returning to Australia on that passport in 2008.
His mother, 56-year-old Diana Terroni, was granted bail on similar charges.
