Gym Owner Sentenced for Faking Death Scam

Karen Maree Salkilld, a 43-year-old F45 gym franchise owner from Perth, has been sentenced to three years in prison for faking her own death to secure a life insurance payout of over $700,000. In February 2023, she submitted falsified documents, including a death certificate and a letter from the coroner, claiming she had died in a car crash. Although the insurance company initially paid out the funds, suspicions arose when Salkilld began withdrawing large sums from the account opened in her ex-partner's name. Judge Vicki Stewart noted that Salkilld's crime was premeditated and not opportunistic, emphasizing her financial desperation as she faced mounting debts. The court also heard that Salkilld had previously received a significant insurance payout following the suicide of her first partner. She will be eligible for parole in 18 months.