Cherry Hill Man Planned Warehouse Arson For Insurance Money: Court Docs

CHERRY HILL, NJ — A Cherry Hill man coordinated the arson of a Pennsylvania warehouse to collect insurance money from the damages, according to court documents Patch obtained.

Ramiz Duka, 61, was convicted Wednesday of conspiracy to commit arson after paying two men to set a Bensalem warehouse ablaze two years ago.

One of the men set the warehouse on fire on Dec. 10, 2022. The building was heavily damaged, and a firefighter was hospitalized when he fell 25 feet off a ladder that collapsed.

A few weeks earlier, Duka met with both men to discuss damaging the warehouse, according to his indictment. Duka claimed that his friend owned the building and wanted to collect insurance money.

The indictment doesn't specify who owns the building, which an online bookseller leased and used for storage.

Authorities identified the co-conspirators as Xavier Ramos Leal and an unnamed individual ("Person 1"). Ramos Leal has been convicted in the case.

Duka gave the co-conspirators a key the building during the November 2022 meeting. The men tried to enter the warehouse that night, but the key didn't work.

Several days later, Duka gave them a working key.

Three days before the fire, Duka gave $7,500 in cash to Person 1 as a down payment, with the rest promised after the arson. Person 1 split the money with Ramos Leal.

On the day of the incident, Person 1 entered the building and set multiple fires inside. Duka paid the additional $7,500 afterwards.

Following a trial, Duka was found guilty of conspiracy to commit arson. He faces 5 to 20 years in prison during sentencing, which is scheduled for Feb. 5.

Ramos Leal is slated to be sentenced Dec. 3.