According to a criminal complaint and police records, Farnam took a cab to Mayfair Mall that day and, rather than squaring up with the cabbie, pretended to have a heart attack.
The cabbie left unpaid.
Farnam, who is 5’10” and weighs 269 pounds, then went to the Applebee’s at Mayfair and ordered something to eat. He had a sirloin steak, salad, mashed potatoes, a soda, a strawberry smoothie and a brownie. His bill came to $22.66.
Again, he pretended to have a heart attack. The Wauwatosa Fire Department whisked him to Wisconsin Heart Hospital.
A doctor at the hospital, William T. Kumprey, was tired of seeing Farnam.
Farnam had been to the hospital several times in the last month or so. He had used his fake heart attack routine at Silk — an exotic lounge — at several restaurants and while getting out of various cabs.
I hope they throw the book at him.
If they threw the book at him, it would probably cause him to have a heart attack. ;-)
Posted by: rdub98 | July 07, 2008 at 09:24 AM
How did this guy not have to pay the ambulance fees and ER costs? Isn't that more expensive than a cab ride and dinner at Applebee's?
Posted by: Kevin | July 07, 2008 at 09:44 AM
what's the point of taking a cab if you're gonna get whisked to the hospital again? something is missing.. sorry doesn't make sense
Posted by: Dangger | July 07, 2008 at 10:20 AM
I had the same question come to mind. How does he pay the ambulance and hospital charges?
Posted by: Lolita | July 07, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Who says he does pay the hospital fees? Maybe he is on government assistance and gets it for free or for a huge discount?
Posted by: justin | July 07, 2008 at 12:22 PM
If you don't care about you're credit at all, it's pretty easy to avoid paying medical expenses: just don't.
Posted by: Matt H | July 07, 2008 at 01:21 PM
Now it would be ironic if during his trial he has a real heart attack and nobody believes him.
Posted by: Lawrence | July 07, 2008 at 02:56 PM
This is more than a scammer-- this guy has a mental problem.
Posted by: artdogs | July 07, 2008 at 06:12 PM
This guy reminds me of my college neighbor's mother. She would carry around a dead fly and try to put in the soup after she ate most of it along with her meal. She made a big fuss and usually got the meal free. Trouble was her reputation got around and she actually got banned from several restaurants. This was in Charlottesville, VA.
-Mike
Posted by: Mike Hunt | July 08, 2008 at 11:29 AM
I once saw this trick in a Clint Eastwood movie. Maybe our good old Farnam is also a fan.
He could at least have offered to wash the plates!
Posted by: fathersez | July 14, 2008 at 09:35 AM