Jean Claude Belpaume

French pensioner Jean Claude Belpaume ran up a EUR50,000 wine bill ordering wine from 19 different suppliers between 2009 -2012. Unable to repay his debt Belpaume called the wine merchants claiming that he was a lawyer and that Belpaume had died. This was not uncommon as Belpaume has been masquerading as a lawyer since 1969.  Belpaume did not contest the charges but claimed he did not drink wine and was involved in the fraud by a restaurant owner to whom he sold the wine at half its retail value. Belpaume was sentenced to 18 months electronic cuff surveillance with 10 months suspended.

http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/584611/pensioner-fakes-death-to-avoid-eur50-000-wine-bill
5/12/2013