Conman is jailed for faking having a heart attack in 20 restaurants to avoid paying the bill

A fraudster who faked a heart attack as an excuse to evade settling restaurant bills has been sentenced to jail.

Aidas J., a Lithuanian residing in Spain, successfully swindled 20 restaurants in Alicante before his eventual incarceration.

In his deceptive performances, he would dramatically collapse to the ground, clutching his chest in apparent agony.

One restaurant manager from El Buen Comer, a restaurant victimized by the conman, described the charade as theatrical, with Aidas pretending to faint and dramatically lowering himself to the floor.

Aidas even went to the extent of requesting medical attention for his fabricated heart condition. His scheme unraveled when he attempted his act for the second time at El Buen Comer.

An employee from another targeted restaurant told the Spanish newspaper El Pais that he would lie on the floor, faking chest pain and trembling.

As part of his ruse, Aidas dressed in designer clothing and posed as a Russian tourist who couldn’t communicate in Spanish, as reported by local law enforcement.

The manager of El Buen Comer shared Aidas’ photo with other restaurants in the vicinity to alert them and prevent the conman from repeating his scam.

Another restaurant owner who fell prey to Aidas said that he had ordered numerous glasses of expensive whiskey, a Russian salad, and a substantial main course like entrecote or lobster before pretending to have a heart attack.

Aidas has been sentenced to 42 days in jail after he refused to pay two fines he received for his dramatic antics.

Given that the unpaid bills were relatively small, ranging from €15 to €70 (£13-£60), Aidas was only charged with minor offenses.

His spree of deceit lasted for two months, during which he was apprehended on multiple occasions but subsequently released due to the limited amounts owed to each restaurant.

However, the restaurant owners who fell victim to Aidas are now considering filing a collective complaint in an effort to secure a more extended incarceration for the con artist.

The total value of the unpaid bills from these dine-and-dash incidents amounted to €766 (£666).