Man Jailed For Declaring Parents Dead 40 Times

[matcom]

<snip>

BERLIN (Reuters) - A German has been jailed for declaring his parents dead 40 times in order to get charity hand-outs, even though both were alive and well, a court said on Friday.

The 31-year-old prevailed upon churches and individuals to part with about 6,000 euros ($7,300) in total to ease the pain of his mother's or father's "passing," a court spokesman in the western city of Bonn said.

He was sentenced to three years in jail for 40 successful acts of fraud.

"He would ask them for money to get to the funeral, usually his mother's, and then spend it on drugs," the spokesman said.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&ncid=573&e=1&u=/nm/20031212/od_nm/odd_germany_fraud_dc

[meegbear]

1. An associate of mine had a smaller scam ...

He used to do crack. He lives in MA but has a son from a previous living in NH. When he needed money for his fix, oddly he never spent his own, one of his scams was to say that he got a call that his son was rushed to the hospital. He needs to get up there and needs money for gas. People would give $20 and he'd smoke it away.

I was warned about the scam and he never tried it on me, or hit me up for money.

[JM]

6. I am sure this is a typo, but...

...it makes it all the funnier. I am pretty sure you meant a son from a previous marriage living in NH

"He lives in MA but has a son from a previous living in NH"

His son from a previous living? Life? Pretty cool! I wonder what my kids from a previous life are doing. Are they living nearby, or in NH? If my kids from a previous life are in NH, I sure hope they are Dems and are old enough to vote!

Later,
JM

[theivoryqueen]

2. No more using funerals as excuse for mental health days??

You know, there are some days I just feel too damn good to go to work!

[trof]

8. Tell 'em you're having a vision problem.

"I just can't see myself going to work today."
;-)

[underpants]

3. What? 39 times was okay?

I saw this on TV, the guy now says he is from Danville Va. and that his grandmother died so he can win $1Million.

[beyurslf]

4. Thats what the guy on Survivor did.

Had his friend say his grandma died and now he milks it for sympathy. ("I swear on my grandma" or "she wanted me to win so bad") Bad karma...

[Exultant Democracy]

5. If your mom died 40 times you would need drugs too. n/t

[AlabamaYankee]

7. According to University faculty

The most dangerous time of the year for Grandmothers is finals week. One poor student lost threee of them in four semesters.

[Fridays Child]

9. It's that German "Forty strikes and you're out" law.

Gets 'em every time.