A Brooklyn Center man who first claimed that his house was started on fire by Biden supporters due to his support of former President Donald Trump has now been found to have started it himself, according to officials.
The Minnesotan Denis Molla claimed that his campervan was torched and his garage was graffitied with the words “Biden 2020” and “BLM” in September 2020 due to his Trump 2020 flags.
However, according to a Department of Justice statement, on Tuesday, Molla pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud after “filing fraudulent insurance claims for a staged arson” in U.S. District Court.
Molla had appeared in an emotional interview the days following the fire, saying that he saw three people running from his home just before the campervan exploded. He said at the time that he was focused on getting his two children, both under the age of two and their dogs away from the property.
Molla painted a picture of a targeted attack against him and his family for his political beliefs, but instead, it was all a lie.
“In reality, Molla started his own property on fire and spray painted the graffiti on his own garage,” the DOJ statement said.
Molla had set up a GoFundMe, which raised about $17,000 in donations, and he received around $61,000 in insurance payouts after the incident.
The Minnesota man has yet to have a sentencing date set.
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