Rafia Farook, the mother of San Bernardino terrorist Syed Farook, is trying to cash in on her son’s $280,000 life insurance policy. Here’s the Daily Mail:
“Rafia is battling the Justice Department over Farook’s $280,000 life insurance policy of which she was the primary beneficiary. Insurers Minnesota Life Insurance paid out shortly after the attack but the funds were held by court after the Justice Department attempted to have the cash seized as proceeds of crime.”
Four years ago Rafia Farook’s son Syed, and her son’s wife Tashfeen Malik, shot up a Christmas party at the San Bernardino Department of Public Health, where Syed was an employee. As a result of the attack, 14 were killed and another 22 injured. Both Malik and Syed Farook were killed by police while they fled the scene.
It is unclear why Minnesota Life Insurance paid out money because of the death. However, it is possible that the money was paid out to reduce legal exposure for Minnesota Life Insurance, especially since the Justice Department would surely seize the money once it was paid. Minnesota Life Insurance is a subsidiary of Securian Financial, which is headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The Daily Mail continues: “Rafia is continuing to fight attempts by the federal government to retain the payout. She says that because she did not know her son was going to commit an act of terror, there is no reason for the money not to be paid.”
But Rafia Farook has other problems. Her other son Syed Raheel and his Russian wife are in trouble for immigration fraud.
That’s because Syed Raheel tried to get his wife’s sister into the country via a sham-marriage with Enrique Marquez Jr., who is currently serving 25 years in federal prison after admitting to purchasing guns that were used in the Farook-Malik terror attack.
Willis Krumholz
Willis L. Krumholz is a fellow at Defense Priorities. He holds a JD and MBA degree from the University of St. Thomas, and works in the financial services industry. The views expressed are those of the author only. You can follow Willis on Twitter @WillKrumholz.
