A fake lawsuit filed in the name of former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' shooter was officially discharged by a federal court judge in Arizona. The bogus lawsuit filed in Phoenix was named under Jared Lee Loughner, who shot former U.S. Congresswoman Giffords and 18 others in Tucson five years ago.
The lawsuit was filed last week through the mail from Philadelphia to the federal court in Phoenix. Federal authorities are now investigating whether a crime happened when the lawsuit was mailed by somebody pretending to be Loughner, Times Daily reported. It was not the only fake lawsuit filed in Philadelphia as authorities claimed that another fake lawsuit was filed by someone pretending to be the indicted Uber Driver, Jason Dalton. Dalton was convicted of killing six people and injuring two others in Michigan. The fake lawsuit was filed against Uber.
Federal lawsuits can be filed easily in person or through the mail. Inmates could also file it. However, court staff claimed that it is difficult to assess which one is legitimate. Federal court spokesman Rod Hansen said that they will only know that it's a fake lawsuit when the filer wouldn't respond to a formal request for money.