Issue date: October 06, 1999
An Atherton resident was arrested on Friday, October 1, on charges of insurance fraud.
Johnny Bocktune Lew, 62, who lives on 10 acres in Atherton, was arrested at the Redwood City Police Department when he showed up to fill out what he thought was a final police report for a fraudulent insurance claim.
Mr. Lew was booked into San Mateo County Jail without bail on charges of insurance fraud, making terrorist threats, attempted grand theft of personal property, and solicitation to commit a crime. He was arraigned Monday, October 4.
If convicted, Mr. Lew could be sentenced to life in prison under California's "three strikes" law. He has two prior felony convictions.
Department of Fraud Investigators said Mr. Lew recruited undercover investigators in July to sink his 56-foot yacht, named Norwel, valued at $1.2 million.
Mr. Lew allegedly offered to pay $50,000 in cash and other valuables to have the yacht sunk off the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. He claimed that the yacht belonged to an Asian organized crime group called the "Triad," which authorized the sinking and fraudulent claim, authorities said. Mr. Lew also said that he or his people would kill or have killed anyone who told of the scheme, insurance investigators said.
Undercover investigators staged the theft of the yacht and secured it in dry dock storage while Mr. Lew was travelling in China in August. When he returned, investigators said Mr. Lew paid them $30,000 in cash and other valuables for the job.
The U.S. Coast Guard, California Highway Patrol, Redwood City Police Department, San Mateo County Sheriff's Department and the San Joaquin District Attorney's Office assisted in the case.
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