A Maryland man was arraigned Monday on arson, insurance fraud and reckless burning in a 2016 fire that destroyed a vacant double home in Lansford.

Benjamin J. Arnold, 52, Ellicott City, appeared before District Judge Beth Dodson, who arraigned him on four felony charges and set bail at $75,000 unsecured.

According to court papers, Arnold paid Richard Snyder, 53, of Coaldale, $10,000 to burn down the house he owned at 524 E. Front St., and then Snyder paid David Argott, 46, of Frackville, $5,000 to set the fire.

Snyder and Argott were also charged by state police in the fire at 522-524 E. Front St. on Jan. 11, 2016, but have not yet been arraigned.

Firefighters had found the home fully involved upon arrival at 4:12 a.m., and high winds aided the flames, carrying them through the home.

Then-Lansford police Sgt. Jack Soberick developed information that Snyder was involved in setting the fire in February 2016, but Snyder denied any involvement when questioned, court papers said.

A break in the investigation came last March, when Hazleton police contacted state police about information they developed about the fire, linking the three men in an arson-for-hire plot, court papers said.

State police then interviewed a former paramour of Argott, who said he came home the morning of the fire smelling of gasoline, and when questioned about where he was, he turned on the television news showing the fire, court papers said.

She told police that a month later Snyder showed up at their home with an envelope containing $5,000. The woman asked about the money, and Argott asked if she remembered the fire, court papers said.

Argott told the woman that he set the fire, and that Snyder’s friend owned the home, court papers said. She said that Snyder’s friend, Arnold, wanted someone to set the fire so that he could collected insurance money, court papers said.

Snyder told the woman that Argott had done a good deed. She told police that both Argott and Snyder got paid the same amount.