Des Moines, Iowa – Bryce Douglas Murphy, 33, of Peosta, was sentenced on March 31, 2025, to ten years in prison after pleading guilty to Insurance Fraud (Class D Felony) and Fraudulent Practice (Class D Felony). His conviction follows an investigation conducted by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau.
The investigation commenced in November 2022 after the Fraud Bureau received information indicating that Murphy had provided false information to an insurance company regarding a loss claim for two Rolex watches.
The investigation determined that Murphy had submitted a loss claim stating the watches were stolen from his hotel room while attending an NFL game. To support his claim, Murphy provided various documents, including a purchase receipt for the watches. However, the investigation revealed that Murphy had previously filed a similar claim with another insurance company in 2019, for which he had received a payout of $9,998. Further examination uncovered that the purchase receipt had been fabricated by Murphy and that the Rolex watches were counterfeit. Murphy was arrested on June 12, 2023.
Following his guilty plea, Murphy was sentenced to ten years in prison and ordered to pay $2,395 in fines.
Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-654-6556.