Feds file lawsuit to seize San Bernardino shooter's $275,000 life insurance payouts

A memorial for victims of the Dec. 2 San Bernardino shooting.
(Image credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

On Tuesday, the U.S. government sued to keep the family of San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook from receiving $275,000 from life insurance policies he took out in 2012 and 2013.

Prosecutors say while planning a terrorist attack, Farook obtained a $25,000 life insurance policy in 2012 and a $250,000 policy in 2013. His mother, Rafia Farook, is the beneficiary for both policies. "Terrorists must not be permitted to provide for their designated beneficiaries through their crimes," U.S. Attorney Eileen Decker said in a statement. "My office intends to explore every legal option available to us to ensure these funds are made available to the victims of this horrific crime. We will continue to use every tool available to seek justice on behalf of the victims of the San Bernardino terrorist attacks."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.