Wife of man who faked death pleads guilty in Florida

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - The wife of a Florida businessman who authorities say faked his own death to defraud insurance companies has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.

The Florida Times-Union reports that 58-year-old Daphne Simpson entered the plea at an arraignment hearing Wednesday. She faces up to five years in prison and a $1.7 million fine.

Last month, federal prosecutors accused Simpson of working with husband Jose Lantigua to make the story of his 2013 death believable and to file life insurance claims. She was released from jail after state charges were dropped and told to return to court Wednesday to face the new federal charge.

Lantigua was falsely reported dead in Venezuela and arrested in 2015 after getting caught in North Carolina applying for a passport in another man's name.