Broker Who Faked Death, Fled To Ga. Must Pay Coast Guard $1 Million

A Florida man who faked his own death and fled to Georgia has been ordered to pay the U.S. Coast Guard $1 million for searching for him.

Richard Ohrn, 46, pleaded guilty to willfully communicating a false distress message to the Coast Guard in March 2015, "causing the Coast Guard to attempt to save lives and property when no help was needed," said the U.S. Justice Department.

Ohrn is a former JP Morgan Chase broker from West Palm Beach.

According to court records, Ohrn rented a recreational boat on March 31, 2015, before abandoning it at sea.

It was later spotted by another boater, who saw several patches of blood and a broken pair of eyeglasses onboard.

The Coast Guard was notified and launched a three-day search-and-rescue mission, which prosecutors say cost more than $1 million.

An investigation revealed that Ohrn actually fled to Georgia, where he hid in an unfurnished apartment before returning to the West Palm Beach area on April 12, 2015.

He was sentenced in federal court Nov. 29 to a year of probation and ordered to pay the $1 million in restitution to the Coast Guard.

Investigators believe Ohrn faked his death due to legal troubles.

He had previously been accused of stealing $15,250 from two elderly customers, Florida's WPLG-TV reports. He also allegedly forged records and changed clients' address information so they wouldn't receive account statements or trade confirmations, the station reported.

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