{
  "id": 9183323,
  "title": "MURDER FOR MONEY: Consent vs a dangling carrot — what must change to stop funeral policy killings?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/murder-for-money-consent-vs-a-dangling-carrot-what-must-change-to",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-22T19:38:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Maverick",
    "slug": "daily-maverick",
    "url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-09-22-consent-vs-a-dangling-carrot-what-must-change-to-stop-funeral-policy-killings/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Murder-for-money schemes have come to the attention of the National Financial Ombudsman (NFO). She argues that immediate changes are necessary in how insurers sell funeral policies to prevent vulnerable individuals from becoming victims of ruthless criminal syndicates. Last month, a high court judge was shocked to discover that people were being murdered by these syndicates for the purpose of profiting from funeral policies of which the victims were unaware. This has raised serious questions about the life insurance industry and how easily unsuspecting victims become targets for organized criminals aiming to profit from their deaths.\n\nEarlier this week, the NFO reiterated its concern and called for urgent changes within the life insurance industry to protect potential victims. The simple suggestion of obtaining consent from the person whose life is being insured has been proposed as a starting point. While a legal expert involved in ongoing Murder-for-Money investigations acknowledges the NFO's stance as a positive step, he believes additional changes are required due to certain policy structures that \"incentivize\" criminals to commit these heinous crimes.\n\nSenior public prosecutor advocate Louis Sinclair stated that as long as policies offer double or even triple payouts for unnatural causes, violent criminals will find it difficult to resist the temptation. Sinclair recently returned to the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court in Gqeberha, where four accused individuals face charges related to a suspected Murder-for-Money racket. They allegedly profited over R1.7 million from fraudulent funeral policies, involving nine murders and 29 fraudulent policies where they falsely claimed kinship with the deceased.\n\nThis case, along with many others under investigation by the police’s Murder-for-Money (MFM) task team, highlights the growing issue of life insurance and funeral policy killings in South Africa. The NFO has expressed strong opposition to the current state of affairs within the insurance industry. Denise Gabriels, lead ombud of the NFO's Life Insurance Division, warned that delayed justice is not justice at all. She suggested that where probes are delayed or police confirm beneficiaries are not suspects, insurers may be required to assess claims based on their merits rather than leaving families in uncertainty.\n\nThe NFO emphasized the devastating social consequences of insurance-related crime and urged for additional measures and safeguards within the industry. One proposed safeguard would require insurers to obtain informed consent from the life assured whenever cover is taken out on their life by another person. Gabriels believes that such a mandatory consent requirement would enhance transparency, strengthen consumer protection, reduce opportunities for fraud and abuse, and help insurers verify the legitimacy of policies at inception.",
  "summary": "Murder for Money schemes have appeared on the National Financial Ombudsman’s radar. She suggests that urgent changes need to be made in how insurance companies sell funeral policies to avoid putting unsuspecting victims’ lives at risk.",
  "key_points": [
    "Consent from insured individuals proposed as starting point to deter criminal syndicates.",
    "Double/triple payouts for unnatural causes incentivize violent criminals to commit heinous crimes."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}