Man charged in $20M insurance fraud scheme found dead

BUCKINGHAM, Pa. (WPVI) -- Sources tell Action News that Thomas French, one of five Bucks County family members charged in a $20 million insurance fraud scheme, has been found dead

Police and paramedics rushed to a home in the 6800 block of Danielle Drive in Buckingham Township for the report of a man shot.

When the police arrived they found a man, just outside of the garage, dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the throat.

Sources have identified the man as 64-year-old French, the husband of prominent Bucks County matriarch Claire Rosaldi.

French, a retired Bucks County Deputy Sheriff, and his wife are among five family members charged by the Pennsylvania Attorney General in a $20 million insurance fraud scheme.

Two others are also charged as co-conspirators.

A relative is said to have collapsed upon hearing of the death and had to be put on a stretcher and taken to a hospital by an ambulance.

A state grand jury probe was launched after a huge fire at the Risoldi mansion on Stoney Creek Road back in October of 2013.

Authorities say it was the third fire at the mansion in a four year period.

The grand jury report says insurance firms paid in excess of $20 million in connection with the three fires.

It also says the Rosaldis were seeking another $20 million for the 2013 fire.

Authorities say the family had accused volunteer firefighters, who responded to the fire, of stealing jewelry purportedly worth millions.

The grand jury found that to be false and alleged that the Rosaldi family has a history of filing questionable insurance claims for the last 20-30 years.

Lawyers for the family have vowed to fight the charges.

Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler, who removed himself from the original investigation and turned it over to the Pennsylvania Attorney General, says his office has notified D.A. Kathleen Kane's office of these latest developments.

So far there has been no comment from Kane.