A prominent GOP fundraiser and her family accused of setting their mansion alight in a $ 20 million fraud scheme have headed to court - just three weeks after her husband took his life . The week-long preliminary hearing underway in Bucks County , Pennsylvania will determine whether Claire Risoldi , her two adult children , her daughter-in-law and two others will face trial . Risoldi 's husband , Thomas French , was also charged with his relatives in January but he took his life in February and left behind a note saying he could n't handle the stress of being falsely accused . An investigation into the family 's claims began after a 2013 fire at the stately home in Doylestown . It was the third blaze in five years at the property , which the Risoldis dubbed Clairemont . Accused : Claire Risoldi , left , is in court for a preliminary hearing into accusations that she fraudulently claimed $ 20 million in insurance payouts . Her husband Thomas French , right , took his life last month . After the fires , the family allegedly lived large on trumped-up insurance claims and attempted to intimidate witnesses when they learned that investigations into the payouts were underway . On Tuesday , friend Tina Mazaheri , a lawyer , told the court that Risoldi visited her to ask what she would tell a grand jury if she was questioned about the fires , the Philadelphia Inquirer reported . When Mazaheri said lying would violate her professional duty , Risoldi erupted in anger and shouted at the woman , Mazaheri told the court . Also on Tuesday , a jewelry expert was called to testify against the family as prosecutors intended to show Risoldi claimed losses for jewelry that later turned up in her bank deposit box . Risoldi had falsely accused volunteer firefighters of stealing 55 pieces of jewelry worth more than $ 10 million while battling the flames , according to a grand jury presentment earlier this year . Family ties : Risoldi 's son , Carl A. Risoldi , 43 , a public relations and marketing specialist , and his wife , Sheila M. Risoldi , have been charged with multiple offenses , including theft by deception . Accused : Clarie 's daughter Carla Risoldi , a former Bucks County prosecutor and now a private attorney , and private investigator Mark Goldman , 54 , have also been charged on multiple counts . Scene : An image taken last month shows the family 's mansion , which suffered three suspicious fires in five years . Prosecutors said the family lived large on trumped-up insurance claims following the fires . The collection had included two items valued at $ 106,000 only four months earlier , officials said . Authorities said they uncovered a decades-long pattern of questionable insurance claims by Risoldi . She still possessed jewelry she reported stolen in 1993 , according to investigators , and had reported another jewelry theft from a different home in 1984 and a house fire in 1977 . The family appeared in court sitting behind their lawyers on Tuesday but declined to comment . Risoldi 's son , Carl A. Risoldi , 43 , and his wife , Sheila M. Risoldi , 43 , are also charged as well as private investigator Mark Goldman , 54 , and fabric vendor Richard Holston , 51 . Defense attorneys said they do not expect the family to testify in this hearing . Their defense lawyers said the causes of the fires were 'undetermined ' and not classified as arson . They also pointed that the payouts were made after insurers ' investigators looked into the claims . Blaze : An image from October 2013 shows firefighters fighting the house fire at the family 's estate . Risoldi accused firefighters of stealing her jewelry as they battled the flames . Officials previously said that large amounts of highly flammable material had been placed near the origin of each blaze . After the preliminary hearing , the judge will decide if there 's enough evidence against each defendant to bring charges . The Philadelphia Inquirer previously reported that Risoldi has donated tens of thousands of dollars to the county 's Republican Party , state lawmakers and a county judge . She also has organized political fund-raisers for local candidates , that were held at her New Hope mansion . As a result of the investigation , authorities seized about $ 7 million in family assets , including $ 3 million in bank accounts , $ 1.2 million in jewelry , six Ferraris and two Rolls-Royces .
Claire Risoldi , 67 , her adult children , daughter-in-law and two others have been charged in an extensive insurance fraud scheme . Her husband , Thomas French , was charged but took his life five years and left a note saying he could n't take the stress of being falsely accused . Their home suffered three suspicious fires over last month and the family lived lavishly following $ 20 million in insurance payouts . They are in court for a preliminary hearing to see if they will face trial . Risoldi has donated tens of thousands of dollars to the Bucks County 's Republican Party and state lawmakers .