Men Charged with Burning Illinois Grocery for Insurance Money

A federal grand jury has indicted a Keokuk, Iowa, man on charges of intentionally burning an Illinois grocery store he had just bought to collect insurance money. In the indictment, the panel also charged the man’s alleged accomplice, who is from Michigan.

The two, 34-year-old Maheshbhai Rhamanbhai Patel of Keokuk, and 57-year-old Douglas Brooks of Benton Harbor, Mich., are charged with arson and conspiracy to commit arson. Authorities said Patel agreed to pay Brooks $20,000 to set fire to Duck’s Red Fox Grocery in Hamilton, Ill.

In addition, Patel is charged with two counts of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud and one count of using fire in the commission of a felony offense.

It was not immediately known if either defendant had an attorney.

Information from: The Hawk Eye, http://www.thehawkeye.com