Authorities in Indiana are dealing with a shocking case involving a father and daughter who allegedly married to commit fraud.
The bizarre situation came to light after family members tipped off the police, sparking an investigation that led to criminal charges.
The Alleged Marriage for Money
Court records reveal that 59-year-old Bradley McCollom and his 44-year-old daughter, Kimberley Tempel, tied the knot in July.
The reason? Authorities say Tempel was after McCollom’s $350 monthly Veterans benefits.
To pull off the scheme, she reportedly lied on their marriage license application, falsely claiming she wasn’t married and that McCollom was no closer than a second cousin.
A Web of Deception
Investigators found that at the time of the fraudulent marriage, Tempel was in the process of getting a divorce.
Additionally, she falsely stated that McCollom had no history of being a sex or violent offender—despite his federal child pornography charge from 2008.
The deception didn’t stop there. Tempel’s claim that McCollom wasn’t her father was disproven by DNA evidence, which showed a 99.999999% probability of their biological relationship.
The shocking truth came to light after McCollom’s sister reported the suspicious marriage and provided documentation to authorities.
Estranged Relationship Reignited in Prison
McCollom and Tempel were reportedly estranged for years after he went to federal prison.
However, their communication rekindled through letters and emails while he was incarcerated.
Despite this period of separation, Tempel was aware her entire life that McCollom was her father, according to court documents.
Legal Troubles Mount
Tempel has been arrested on charges of providing false information on a marriage license application, as well as felony attempted bigamy—since she was still legally married during the fraudulent ceremony.
She has since been released. Meanwhile, McCollom remains behind bars for a parole violation.
The Authorities Speak Out
Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Anthony Aussieker highlighted the main legal issue: “The biggest issue was in regards to their actual relationship.
They both answered the question saying that they were not closely related, and that was later determined to be false.
That was one of the issues with falsifying the marriage application.”
Conflicting Claims Emerge
Adding another twist to the case, local news outlet WEHT reported that an unnamed source came forward with documentation suggesting McCollom and Tempel were not actually father and daughter.
However, these claims have not been verified, and authorities are awaiting further information.
What Happens Next?
Under Indiana law, individuals cannot marry if they are more closely related than second cousins, with rare exceptions for first cousins who are at least 65 years old.
The case remains under investigation, and authorities are working to determine the full extent of the alleged fraud.
If further evidence emerges, additional legal consequences could follow for both Tempel and McCollom.