Gary Giordano Sues AMEX - Wants Life Insurance Money
It has been 10 months since Gary Giordano's traveling companion, Robyn Gardner disappeared. Gary Giordano was held for four months in an Aruban prison, but of course the Arubans messed it all up again and Gary walked free. Right before he took the trip with the woman he barely knew, he took out a $3.5M life insurance policy on her. I can't even get life insurance because of my weight, but somehow this guy manages to get a $3.5M policy on someone he doesn't know right before he takes her out of the country. Now he wants to collect. AMEX says it is too soon, but Gary has lawyer fees to pay and women to have sex with in cars so wants to get paid so filed a suit against the company.
AMEX says it wants to wait a year before it decides. The thing that sucks is they will eventually have to pay. They don't have a choice. I hate this guy.
Wtf happened to this guy????!!!! Totally shady deal all the way around. If i were ins co, i too wld be investigating this 8 ways to sunday. I smell a rat!!!! Or a dead body........
ReplyDeleteGary, meet Casey.
ReplyDeleteCasey, meet Gary.
Really Aruba?
ReplyDeleteThis guy's an evil mastermind.
This is too disturbing for words. The bad guys are winning..
ReplyDeleteWhy does AMEX have to pay? There must be some legal eagles on their payroll who can figure out a way to deny this.
ReplyDeleteI saw this yesterday and it just made me ill. Robyn was just a cash cow to him to be disposed of to cash in. But people please remember no matter how special or good looking you are. Nothing in life is free. Everybody pays somehow.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to think he will get his in a dark alley one day before he gets to spend a penny. I hope Amex pulls out every big gun lawyer to fight him on it for as long as possible or until the keystone cops in Aruba gets some evidence to fall in their laps to go after him.
Note to self, don't go to Aruba, Thailand or Pakistan.
Yeah, she thought she would only have to pay with her feminine gifts. God, I almost typed "with her body", I got chills as I realized that she did.
DeleteWhat I hate is the thought that he could have sold her into sexual slavery and profited even more. I think death is preferable in that case.
It's so hard to fathom that these are real concerns, I can't imagine doing these things to a human. Unreal.
Enty, Amex policy :
ReplyDelete"When somebody is trying to collect a policy of this type and the insured person is missing, there is a 365-day period to file a claim"."We would have not accepted a claim before the 365th day because that's the parameter of the policy.".
He will file it in August and then have to wait for an internal investigation (mostly legal crap) before they would payoff. But, AMEX will do EVERYTHING to avoid paying him because of the bad PR.
@Vicky, you suggest an excellent proposition: drop Gary and Casey in a pit with weapons and leave them to battle each other to the death. My money would be on Casey, frankly.
ReplyDelete...and failing that, I once again call upon Dexter.
I thought there was some provision against buying life insurance on strangers to avoid this type of thing from happening.
ReplyDeleteDidn't they just meet?
They weren't financially interdependent. The insurance company has a good argument to deny the claim.
Please read paragraph 87 subparagraph 22 line 40 where it states the party in the first part will not collect any monies if the party of the deceased/missing part is not present to witness signature.....
ReplyDeleteFiggy, she didn't give birth to him. Most likely they'd have sex until he knocked her up. Then she'd kill the baby and he'd collect the insurance money. Everybody takes out a $10 mil policy out on their infants, right?
ReplyDeleteOf course, he'd double cross her and take out a secret policy and then kill her.
@Vicki
ReplyDeleteThat was awesome
@Figgy
Dexter is one of my favorite t.v shows (and the only show my hub and I actually watch together). I can't wait until fall!
I don't get how this guy got a 3.5 million dollar policy on a virtual stranger. My husband and I were applying for life insurance policies, and we both had to fill out these ridiculously long, VERY PERSONAL applications for a fraction of that amount. It took me 2 weeks to gather all the information only to find out that my detailed explanations weren't detailed enough because we couldn't remember exact months/years of doctor appointments we had nearly 2 decades ago. Arggghhh
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ReplyDelete@Vicki, LOL! Exactly.
ReplyDeleteI don't see how this whole situation is not the legal equivalent of taking out a newspaper ad saying "I killed her." ???
It's almost the perfect crime, isn't it? Doesn't the woman have any family that can sue him in civil court (like the Goldman family did to OJ)?
ReplyDeleteIt's unthinkable that this guy gets to collect $3.5m (and life insurance proceeds are tax-free)for, best case scenario, abandoning his travelling companion.
According to him, if you're booking cancellation insurance for yourself and a companion through Amex, all other forms of insurance (medical, life) that you select for yourself are automatically added to the companion, with the cardholder as beneficiary.
I'm betting Amex changes that practice stat. When you buy life insurance on another person with you as beneficiary, don't you usually have to have a good reason for doing so? (For instance, they're your spouse and you need the insurance to keep covering the mortgage on just one income). It's called "insurable interest."
Honestly, the screw up here is that Amex allowed this "gent" to buy the insurance on Robyn. Aruba is not nearly as much to blame.
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ReplyDeletefiggy said...
ReplyDeleteI don't see how this whole situation is not the legal equivalent of taking out a newspaper ad saying "I killed her." ???
Or writing a book called "If I Did It".
I always remember an interview with Michael C. Hall where he said how in the first year of Dexter, people were embarrassed and would sheepishly admit to liking the show, but after the first season weren't afraid to boldly tell "Dexter" to "Keep up the good work!" in killing the bad guys.
ReplyDeleteI agree figgy--a Dexter would be nice right about now.
@Jamie
ReplyDeleteThanks for the explanation. Maybe it's because the travel company I worked for mainly dealt with college students, but I think the maximum payout for comprehensive travel insurance back then was $20,000 for an accident and $50,000 for a plane crash. That 3.5 mil seems very excessive
How horrible this must be for Robyn's family. To lose a child is the worst kind of hell imaginable, but to see this disgusting POS try to profit from her death? Ugh
Since he bought insurance and the woman is a complete stranger wouldn't that be enough for him to be a suspect?
ReplyDeleteSince money is involved?
BlisterPlease -- I'm thinking of "The Equalizer", from 30 years ago. Loved that show.
ReplyDeleteThey will look to see if she was an additional cardholder on his account and will look carefully at her signature on the application and other electronic info. If you are the cardholder and your additional cardholder is traveling with you, the addtl is auto. covered and the primary CM would be the beneficiary. But, he would also need to have purchased addt'l ins fr amex but it would depend on what type of card he used. I'm curious if it was a black Centurion card or Platinum card. The max is 3.5M. This will be interesting to watch unfold.
ReplyDeleteIf they pay him, which is doubtful, then they'll change the policy, if they haven't already. What kind of a life do you think he'll have? He'll be all over the news.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Amex has better investigators than Aruba. The trail is cold, but maybe they can find some evidence to prevent him from collecting. I have no hope that he will be convicted, but karma has a way of collecting these debts. This man won't live a good life, here on earth, or what comes after.
ReplyDeleteFirst time I'm rooting for the insurance company. Hope they stall til this guy is caught and convicted of something.
ReplyDeletefucking douche. I hate this guy too.
ReplyDeleteI haven't looked at this specific issue, but my general understanding of it is that insurance companies can decline payouts when they deem the claim suspicious, regardless of the police's ultimate conclusion (I'm a lawyer). I don't think Amex will pay. I mean, just start with the proposition that insurance companies are already looking for ways not to pay claims, and then add in the facts of this case.
ReplyDeleteThey just found his motive holy geez she may not even be dead.... always when this story comes up I think about a hostel.... oooh times like this I hope there is a hell. .. or at least a really back heck.
ReplyDeleteI "hear" that AmEX customer service are swamped with cardholders calling in and complaining about this. Not that they can determine the outcome (legal will determine) but it is good to hear that people will take the time to voice a concern. Also, tons calling in to find out exactly what the process is to get this coverage. The legal fees will run high for Gary for this as it will take a lot of time before a payout is done. Creep.
ReplyDelete@Agent**It:
ReplyDeletePlease read my post at 8:49AM, Enty time. He (Giordano) has said on TV that because he used his Amex card to buy both tickets and the cancellation insurance for both tix, Robyn was automatically added for life insurance when he selected it for himself.
I don't think there's any way she was a card holder on his account. They'd allegedly met shortly before the trip on an adult website.
That's not the sort of relationship where you give anyone your credit card, or get one issued in their name. It's the sort of relationship where you might agree to go on an all expenses paid trip to Aruba.
And by "you," I don't mean you or me or anyone here, but you can see it happening, right?
The way I read it, he became the beneficiary of a huge policy on her life just by charging both their tickets to his Amex card. If he's innocent of her death and disappearance, then he is a cad for trying to make $3.5m (or anything) from her death.
If he's guilty, WOW. He'd have to have figured everything out in advance. That Amex would write a huge life insurance policy blindly; how to find a woman to travel to Aruba and go snorkeling with him; how to make her disappear.
I admit to being a huge fan of crime noir, but not in real life.
Oops. In previewing, I see some comments that she may not even be dead. Just disappeared.
I hope that's the case. That would make an amazing story.
Does anyone know how Robyn supported herself?
This would be such an amazing story if she and Giordano were both grifters who discovered the loophole in Amex's travel insurance policy.
@ Jamie , absolutely possible, absolutely !!
ReplyDeleteI was referring to the 'norma'l coverage status. Now, if this was a 2 for 1 travel deal through Amex on a Plat/Black card then other ins. opportunities are available.
This is the general policy :
"You, your Spouse or Domestic Partner, and your Dependent unmarried children can be covered.
If you are a Basic Cardmember, any Additional Cardmembers on your enrolled Card account as well as their Spouses or Domestic Partners and Dependent unmarried children can also be covered."
In many states, a missing person is not declared legally dead until after seven years. Maryland -- where they're all from -- of course is different and all it takes is a court order after all sorts of evidence. But AMEX almost certainly will use this loophole and force him and his lawyer to go through that process and file a petition with the court to get Maryland to declare her legally dead etc.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the little matter of suspected insurance fraud is no small hurdle for him, regardless of what he thinks.
ReplyDeleteGod, I'd love to hear that Robyn and Giordano were grifters.
ReplyDeleteNo sympathy for Amex from me. Travel insurance is a rip-off. If your death would cause someone else to be unable, financially, to raise your kids, then go buy life insurance before you book the ticket. FFS.
Unfortunately, I think the woman is dead.
This is an interesting case. If she's alive, the pair will get $3.5 million tax-free, which is enough to live a nice life forever in some place with a nice climate and police who take bribes (like The Getaway but not like how that movie ended).
If she's dead, I'm sorry, but this is a perfect crime.
Starring Amex as the Eliot Ness, not letting the bum get away with it.
I think he will.
my dad thinks that she is still alive and in cohoots with this guy to split the insurance money. i think its an interesting theory.
ReplyDeleteAmex has internal and external private investigators that support the HUGE legal department ... stay tuned, enjoying Jaimie's grifter theory.
ReplyDeleteI'm loving this thread - not for the tragedy, of course, but because I'm getting ideas for hubby's potential retirement job. I love the idea of internal and external investigators - sounds like $ to me!
ReplyDeleteHorrible, I know, to think about profiting from graft and tragedy, but, somebody's got to do it, unless basic human nature is changing soon, and I just haven't got the memo.
I'm beginning to believe that he sold this woman into slavery as well.
ReplyDelete@Frufra, when the time comes, have him contact the security / fraud (risk) dept . I worked with several retired police officers and they had very varied duties . They all enjoyed it.
ReplyDeletethe guy is obviously a murderer and its awful that he is walking free.
ReplyDeletehowever, I hate amex, so I'm not sorry that they will be out 3.5 million. I just wish it went to a good cause instead of a murderer.
Perhaps her family can file a civil suit ala Ron Goldman's family...
ReplyDeleteThe burden of proof is not as high in a civil suit as it is in a criminal case. If they win, they can get a judgement against him & prevent him from profiting from her presumed death.
I bet AMEX would drag their feet in paying out in the mean time....
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ReplyDeleteThat may be how he enticed her to leave the country with a relative stranger..."here is a card in your name, I want you to enjoy this trip." Chilling, really. She may have marked him for a sucker and thought it would be easy to take advantage and then run. Little did she know what a weirdo he was.
ReplyDelete