His sudden apology felt like a suspicious deathbed conversion.
deathbed conversion
idiomAn abrupt, last-minute change in one's professed beliefs, principles, or point of view in order to escape a serious threat or to increase one's chances of success.
The politician suddenly supported the new law, but critics dismissed his change of heart as a convenient deathbed conversion.
Facing a lifetime of scrutiny, the disgraced executive attempted a deathbed conversion, hoping to salvage his reputation before the final verdict arrived.