A man has been charged with insurance fraud after trying to claim over £1million for a double amputation caused by alleged self-inflicted frostbite.
The suspect, identified only by his surname Chang, allegedly immersed his legs in a bucket filled with dry ice for 10 hours.
Direct contact with it, which has a surface temperature of -78.5C, can quickly damage skin cells and lead to frostbite.
READ MORE: VIDEO: Man shot dead after peering over garden wall
The student underwent emergency surgery in February last year and both legs were amputated below the knee due to fourth-degree frostbite, sepsis and bone necrosis.
The 24-year-old suspect claimed he suffered the injuries during a scooter trip in northern Taiwan just days earlier.
According to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office, he was allegedly helped by an accomplice named as Liao, 24.
Liao allegedly helped Chang to fill a plastic bucket with dry ice before strapping him into a chair with cable ties.
Prosecutors said Chang then spent around 10 hours with his legs immersed in the dry ice.
Liao documented the stunt between 2am and noon on 27 January 2023, according to the prosecutor’s statement yesterday (14 Mar).
The two suspects successfully claimed over £5,489 (USD 7,000) from one insurance firm a month after Chang lost his lower legs.
Four other companies refused to pay out the rest of his eight disability claims.
All five firms reported his suspicious insurance claims to the authorities.
In total, the claims reportedly totalled around £1million (USD 1.3 million).
According to Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB), Chang took out several high-payout insurance packages just days before the alleged scooter trip.
A CIB spokesperson added: “However, Taiwan is a subtropical region.
“There are no known cases of serious frostbite requiring amputation due to natural climate factors in the flatlands.”
The CIB presented weather reports that showed the temperatures on the day in question were between 6.1C and 17C, too mild to cause serious frostbite.
The agency said Chang’s injuries showed he wasn’t wearing shoes or socks at the time of his injuries, concluding that they were therefore “man-made”.
Following a raid on his home in November last year, the police found the bucket he allegedly used along with a polystyrene box that held the dry ice.
Chang and Liao, who went to high school together, have been charged with insurance fraud and attempted insurance fraud as the case continues.
READ MORE: ‘Witch doctor’ caught at airport with monkey’s hand and live snake in luggage
