Former New Orleans police officer charged in insurance fraud case

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — A former New Orleans police officer has been charged with six counts of fraud and bribery after he allegedly filed a false insurance claim in 2019.

According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, 55-year-old Christian Conrad Claus was a New Orleans police officer who allegedly “worked with a New Orleans homeowner and a Nevada art appraiser to file a false insurance claim on the owner’s property.”

The lawsuit claims that homeowner and restaurateur Fouad K. Zeton allegedly had “valuable” paintings stolen from his home. However, the paintings were not stolen and were not worth any value, prosecutors argued.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Zeton agreed to the scheme in exchange for Claus allegedly using his position as an NOPD officer to “support the scheme.” It said Zeton would allegedly “share insurance proceeds with Claus” and help Claus “obtain employment positions.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the charges against Claus include mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit these crimes, using a facility to commit bribery, making false statements to a federal agent and conspiracy to commit a crime.

In addition, Zeton and the property appraiser pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

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