Man too fat to face food scam charges

A 600-pound Florida man accused of stealing food and scamming restaurants has been unable to face his charges in court because he is too sick and fat. George Jolicoeur, 38, remained in a bed in his nursing home while his lawyer pleaded no contest to five petty theft charges in an Orlando court.

The offences were all committed in 2007, when a more mobile Jolicoeur on five occasions walked into a restaurant or food store and claimed he had been sold substandard food. On each of the occasions, Jolicoeur demanded large refunds from the store.

The court heard Jolicoeur was eventually arrested after he marched into a 7-Eleven store and claimed he had bought $50 in beef jerky that turned out to be mouldy. According to court documents, Jolicoeur told his arresting officer: "The beef jerky got me."



Jolicoeur has been convicted of similar scams in the past, including one in 2005 where he claimed to have found hair in six milkshakes.

Defence attorney James D. Phillips Jr. told the judge his client now required a respirator to breathe and was too ill to attend a court hearing.

Jolicoeur’s medical condition was not specified but the court heard his health was unlikely to improve. He was spared a jail term but ordered to pay $1,365 in legal costs and unspecified damages.