Legal Question in Criminal Law in Michigan

Re: Death

Question: I was having a discussion with some co-workers about a dead celebrity. Can someone fake their death and return after 7 years without charges brought up for the faking of the death?

Answer: There is no law in Michigan prohibiting faking your own death except for the following:

500.2088 False report by physician; claim for death, sickness or disability benefits, penalty.

Sec. 2088.

Any agent, collector, physician, insured or other person who shall make, present or cause to be presented to any insurer any false, dishonest or fraudulent certificate or report of death, sickness or disability of any kind or nature, or any false, dishonest or fraudulent claim for any death, sickness or disability benefit, or claim for payment to or against any such insurer, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding $1,000.00, or to imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding 3 months, in the discretion of the court.

There would be civil liability if the false death report was made to defraud creditors etc. The statute of limitations would begin to run when the fraud is eventually discovered.