Andre Zachary Rebelo, a cryptocurrency trader, has been found guilty of murdering his mother, Colleen Rebelo, to claim over £500,000 (approximately ₦884 million at an exchange rate of ₦1,689 per dollar) in life insurance benefits.
Colleen, 58, was discovered dead in her bathroom on May 25, 2020, at her Perth, Australia home. Her youngest son found her unresponsive in the shower. Despite the sudden and unexplained nature of her death, first responders did not suspect foul play, and an initial autopsy failed to determine the cause of death.
Investigations later revealed that Andre had taken out three separate life insurance policies totaling AUD $1.2 million (£500,000) against his mother just a week before her death, naming himself as the sole beneficiary.
At the time, Rebelo and his partner, Instagram influencer Grace Piscopo, who has over one million followers, flaunted an opulent lifestyle on social media. They frequently shared posts showcasing luxurious vacations, high-end cars, and extravagant experiences. However, the court learned that behind the scenes, the couple was struggling financially, with debts exceeding AUD $120,000.
In the days following his mother’s death, Rebelo aggressively pursued insurance payouts, including a AUD $500,000 (£252,000) claim. To secure the funds, he falsified medical and death records, forged his mother’s documents, and even used an AI-generated voice to impersonate her psychologist in communications with the insurer.
The fraudulent activity raised red flags when an insurance company employee flagged suspicious inconsistencies in Rebelo’s claims. This prompted an investigation that eventually led authorities to uncover evidence implicating him in his mother’s death.
In 2022, Rebelo was arrested and charged with her murder. After a thorough trial, the jury found him guilty of the crime.
The case highlights the extreme lengths to which Rebelo went to fabricate evidence and manipulate systems for financial gain, ultimately at the cost of his own mother’s life.
