Council Bluffs man sentenced to prison for crop insurance fraud

Council Bluffs man Andrew J. Fischer, 55, was sentenced on Sept. 10 to five months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose for false statements in connection with federal crop insurance, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa. His term of imprisonment is to be followed by five years of supervised release. Fischer was ordered to pay $399,725 in restitution.

Fischer obtained crop insurance for the crop years 2012, 2014, and 2017 through the United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency's Federal Crop Insurance Program. Fisher then submitted fraudulent insurance claims which resulted in indemnity payments of approximately $399,725 to which he was not entitled. According to court documents, Fischer pleaded guilty in May of 2021.

Acting United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and the Risk Management Agency Special Investigations investigated the case.