Bismarck man pleads guilty to taking out insurance policy on dead wife

A Bismarck man accused of fraudulently taking out a life insurance policy on his dead wife has pleaded guilty.

John Unruh, 42, faces up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine for insurance fraud. He’s been ordered held without bond until sentencing, which was not immediately scheduled.

Authorities alleged that Unruh took out a $225,000 life insurance policy through Mutual of Omaha on his wife, Jade, in April 2025, about two months after she had died of influenza and pneumonia. An autopsy was conducted on Jade Unruh before she was buried.

John Unruh tried to collect on the policy about a week after it was written, according to an affidavit.

When the insurance company notified Unruh that his premium was being refunded because his wfie had died before the policy took effect, Unruh maintained he should receive $100,000 through a clause that guaranteed the payment since the policy had been written.

Unruh claimed that he had told the insurance agent who wrote the policy that his wife was already deceased, but the agent disputed that, according to the affidavit.

A state insurance fraud investigator said Unruh acted as his dead wife in taking out the policy and signing her names on documents, and attempted to get a payout for a policy he obtained under false information. Unruh was charged with committing a fraudulent insurance act with an attempt over $50,000, a Class B felony.

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