Minnesota man charged after allegedly staging arson, claiming he was targeted for Trump 2020 flag: reports
Denis Molla, 29, claimed he was targeted for showing support for then-President Donald Trump’s reelection
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Minnesota man was indicted on Tuesday after prosecutors say he staged an arson attack on his own property nearly two years ago, claiming he was targeted for supporting then-President Donald Trump, before filing false claims and collecting tens of thousands of dollars, according to local reports.
Denis Molla, 29, was charged with two counts of wire fraud after claiming someone set his camper on fire and burned down his detached garage in September 2020 for displaying a Trump 2020 flag, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported.
Molla’s Trump flag also burned, Brooklyn Center police said at the time. Graffiti spray-painted on the smoldering garage included the phrases "Biden 2020," "BLM" and an anarchist symbol.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Two other vehicles he owned were also destroyed in the flames, but Molla and his wife, as well as the couple's 2-year-old and 5-month-old children, escaped unharmed, Molla previously told local news outlets.
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Over the course of the arson investigation, authorities determined Molla had set the fire himself, the reports said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A "Trump 2020" campaign flag attached to a railing Sept. 11, 2020, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images, File)
Molla allegedly made more than $300,000 in fraudulent insurance claims, receiving about $61,000. He also received $17,000 in donations through his GoFundMe account.
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He was released on bail under the condition that he appear for his next court date, the paper reported.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News' Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.