A man named Ides J. from Lithuania was recently arrested in Spain for repeatedly feigning heart attacks in numerous restaurants across the country.
His modus operandi involved ordering exorbitantly priced dishes and then collapsing on the floor, pretending to experience a heart attack. Through this scheme, he successfully avoided paying his bills, until the staff at one restaurant alerted the authorities.
Jay, aged 30, pleaded guilty to 20 counts of fraud and confessed during his investigation that he resorted to such tactics to fund his alcohol and gambling addictions. He would visit upscale establishments like Lobster and Whiskey, order multiple dishes and alcoholic beverages, and once he had finished his meal, he would dramatically collapse, signaling for help.
A drinking addiction
Repeatedly, the restaurant staff would call an ambulance to come to Jay's aid, only for him to mysteriously "recover" within minutes and flee the scene without settling his bill. Word of this recurring phenomenon spread, ultimately resulting in the arrest of the 30-year-old in Alicante, Spain, after a restaurant employee became suspicious.
When the police arrived, Jay was arrested and subsequently found guilty of 20 instances of impersonation and refusal to pay. He was sentenced to 42 days in a Spanish prison.