Posted on 09/09/2005 12:59:41 PM PDT by SmithL
Anna Ayala has pleaded guilty to charges she planted a human finger in a bowl of Wendy's chili as part of a scheme to defraud the fast food chain.
The deal was reached this morning in a San Jose courthouse. Ayala also pleaded guilty to a unrelated charge that she defrauded a San Jose woman in a mobile home sale.
Ayala's husband, Jaime Plascencia, is also expected to plead guilty. But discussions regarding that deal haven't been completed yet.
Plascencia and Ayala had been charged with two felony charges in connection with the Wendy's case: conspiracy to file a false charge and attempted grand theft with damages exceeding $2.5 million. Prosecutors contend they meant to extract a large amount of money from Wendy's in a settlement and cost the company and its employees a great deal of money because of the bad publicity.
The maximum penalty for those counts is more than nine years for Ayala and 13 years for Plascencia.
Ayala was also charged with grand theft for selling a mobile home that she did not own.
Ayala's claim to have found a partial severed human finger in a bowl of chili she ordered at a San Jose Wendy's restaurant in March was widely publicized. Prosecutors believe she and her husband hoped to cash in with a large legal settlement from Wendy's, and insist they are prepared to prove every allegation against the couple.
I blame Mayor Nagin.
There better be jail time involved...
After the criminal case, I hope Wendy's sues Ayala for "intentional torts" of perjury, conspiracy to fraud, slander...even if they can collect nothing. And Ayala's lawyer ought to come in for some serious scrutiny.
As it turns out, Ayala has a litigious history. She has filed claims against several corporations, including a former employer and General Motors, though it is unclear from court records whether she received any money. She said she got $30,000 from El Pollo Loco after her 13-year-old daughter got sick at one of the chain's Las Vegas-area restaurants. But El Pollo Loco spokeswoman Julie Weeks said last week that the company reviewed Ayala's February 2004 claim and paid her nothing.
Judge: "If you would, please point to the victim."
Why should the pig get a "deal"? She did millions and millions of dollars in damages.
Shakespeare was right....
Why? It's obviously Bush's fault.
Grifer
I suggest we cut her head off and then deport her in a big tub of chili.
Nice to see this lying sack of garbage get her comeuppance. She's been pulling off scams for years
FReepers pretty much nailed this one from the getgo, at least in terms of fraud being involved...
Since this has happened, I've taken my kid to Wendy's more often. they love the chili, and ask for the finger-free kind every time.
I hope these people rot in jail for a long time.
Are you saying that there was no victim?
I like to order the small chili and pour it on my hamburger.
The finger was pointing right at her from the beginning.
You must have a good supply of clean shirts.
Missed it by a single 'digit'.
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