Medellin authorities announced Thursday they had arrested a man who had faked his own kidnapping in an attempt to pay a $4,000 bill he had accumulated during a days-long sex and booze party.
The local man, whose identity was not revealed, was reported as kidnapped by his employer on February 2 after she received a message from his Whatsapp demanding $5,000 in ransom for his safe return and that of his boss’ car.
The man has not appeared at work since January 31 and was in possession of a company car.
Instead of getting the money demanded for the employee and the vehicle, the suspect’s employer called the local police’s anti-kidnapping unit.
The employer agreed to meet for an exchange.
However, when the self-proclaimed kidnapping victim and three others arrived to collect the money, they were surprised by members of the anti-kidnapping unit.
The three men proved to be employees of the brothel where the man had spent the small fortune in prostitutes and liquor.
When the fake victim found out his set-up had failed, he tried to flee, but was arrested by the present officers together with the brothel employees.
The suspect told the prosecution he had pretended his own kidnapping after a four-day binge that left him with a $4,000 bill at a local brother he couldn’t possibly afford.
According to his testimony, the brothel owner allowed him to leave and obtain the money, but kept his boss’ car as security.
The brothel employees were released.
The 27-year party animal was sent to jail to await trial on extortion charges.
Auto-kidnappings are not uncommon in Colombia.
Last year, a 22-year-old man went as far as sending his parents photos of himself looking like he had been tortured in an attempt to extort his money also while on a party binge.