The fraudster who conned men with fake pregnancies

COURTESY PHOTO

About a week ago, I sat watching football all by my lonesome self, drinking a beer at the bar counter. It was two minor teams playing, the place was mostly empty, a few people here and there. I had the counter to myself. About 20 minutes into the game this couple comes in, the man walking ahead of the girl, and he heads for a seat in the corner. The girl followed behind him, clutching her bag, looking like she was terrified of something. They seemed to have had an argument, but that is normal. I gave them a good look over, went back to watching the match and literally forgot about them.

About 10 minutes later, there was a bang, someone hitting the table. I looked around and saw that same man banging his fist on the table repeatedly as he pointed an accusing finger at the girl. The girl had tears in her eyes; the man kept shaking his finger in her face. I could not hear what he was saying. Then she said something to him and he seemed to literally lose it; he hit the table so hard the glasses shook, one of them toppling over and spilling beer.

A waiter rushed over to their table, and it was just in time because half-standing up, the man reached across the table and pulled the girl by her shirt. The waiter intervened, pushing the man away. But now I could hear what he was saying, he was shouting. Pointing at the girl, he asked the waiter; “how many times have you seen this girl here? How many times have you seen me leave with her? She is always with different men, now she says it is me”.

The waiter tried to calm the man down but again, the girl said something that incensed him even further. Pushing the waiter aside, he lunged for the girl and this time managed to pull her out of her seat. He raised his hand as if to slap her. As if we had all been waiting for this, all the men in the bar, waiters and customers rushed to that table. But before we got there, he landed one slap on her that smacked loudly. One of the first men to reach him landed a punch on him, before they were separated. Then shouting, he started accusing the girl of trying to force her pregnancy on him.

“I do not even know this girl. I have only been with her once. She is always with other men, how can she say the pregnancy is mine?” The girl was standing off to one side, still holding her cheek where the slap had landed. She pointed a finger at him and said, “It is you. I have not slept with anyone but you. Those other men are my friends. I just hang out with them. I told you but you refused to listen.” The man kept shouting the same thing over and over again, and finally, he sat down and said, “Look, I am married. What am I going to do? At least why doesn’t she get rid of it?”

At which the girl told him, “no, I cannot do that”. And she started crying. Everyone felt sorry for the girl, they were looking at the man with hostility. Then one man said, “Wait. I know this girl! She did this same thing to a friend of mine. She was not even pregnant. She just wanted to make the man pay a lot of money.” Everyone turned to the girl, who started defending herself saying she did not know what this other man was talking about.

But the man knew her well, even knew both her real and pseudonyms names. He called his friend and putting him on loud speaker, the friend confirmed the story. At this point, the girl seemed like she wanted to flee, but she was surrounded. I do not know what would have happened, because everyone around started shouting at her, hadn’t the bar manager stepped in and offered to drive the two of them to the nearest police station. I guess the crime was fraud and extortion.