In the wake of a man being accused of faking his own death, his 22-year-old son has been charged with insurance fraud, but he says he didn't do anything wrong. INSIDE EDITION has the story.
Jonathan Roth was stone-faced and silent as he was taken to court to be arraigned—accused of helping his father fake his own death.
He was ordered to be held on $10,000 bail.
Jonathan, charged with insurance fraud, claims he knew nothing of his father's plans to fake his disappearance while swimming off a beach on Long Island, New York.
It was the 22-year-old who raised the alarm, lead police to an iPhone, wallet, sneakers and other belongings abandoned on the beach.
A massive five day search of the waters off Long Island found nothing. That's because the entire time, Raymond Roth was staying at a luxury time share in Orlando, Florida—and leaving a trail of emails to his son that led to his discovery.
One of the e-mails, sent the day before his disappearance, told his son: "Get to the bank for cash for the trip."
Jonathan Roth's girlfriend Kristi Mayleas told INSIDE EDITION she believes he is innocent.
"He's not a money-hungry person. His dad is," said Mayleas, "For him to do something like this is not in his personality."
The elder Roth had serious financial problems. He lost his job and put his house up for sale for $550,000.
Now, his wife says she is divorcing him over the faked death.
Raymond Roth has reportedly checked into a psychiatric hospital and has not been charged, leaving his son to face the music alone.
