Couple fakes crop damage to claim insurance

A South Carolina couple who faked weather damage to their crops by having workers throw ice cubes on to a tomato field and then beat the plants have been ordered to repay around US$9.3 million ($13 million) they received fraudulently.

Robert Warren must also serve six years and four months in prison, and his wife, Viki Warren, was sentenced to 5 1/2 years'.

The data falsely indicated a history of high tomato production from their farms. The couple then photographed their fake crop damage to help document insurance claims.