Posted on 05/18/2005 10:03:22 AM PDT by Dubya
SAN JOSE, Calif. - A man who lost part of his finger in a workplace accident was the source of the fingertip used in an alleged scam against Wendy's restaurants, and gave it away to settle a debt, his mother said.
"My son is the victim in this," Brenda Shouey said in an interview published in Wednesday's San Francisco Chronicle. "I believe he got caught in something, and he didn't understand what was going on."
Anna Ayala, 39, was arrested April 21 at her Las Vegas home on suspicion of attempted grand theft for allegedly costing Wendy's millions of dollars in a plot to shake down the company by claiming she found the finger in a bowl of chili in a restaurant in San Jose.
Ayala was to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon.
Shouey, of Worthington, Pa., said her son, Brian Paul Rossiter, 36, of Las Vegas, lost part of his finger in December in an accident at a paving company where he worked with James Plascencia, Ayala's husband. His hand got caught in a mechanical truck lift, she said.
She said he gave it to Plascencia to settle a $50 debt.
San Jose police announced last week the finger was obtained from an associate of Plascencia, but they have refused to identify him because he is cooperating in the investigation. They did not immediately return a message Wednesday seeking comment on the newspaper's account.
Shouey said her son had showed the severed finger to co-workers in a macho display of humor and was desperate for cash when he gave it away "to this character, James."
"My son is a happy-go-lucky guy. He thought it was cute to show" the severed finger, Shouey said. "It's like a man thing."
Shouey declined to give details of how the finger was preserved or whether Rossiter knew why Plascencia allegedly wanted the finger. She said her son told her of his role only this week and is keeping a low profile after undergoing intense police questioning.
Plascencia was arrested earlier this month on unrelated charges of failing to pay child support in a previous relationship.
ping
If the insurance companies find out that a finger is only worth $50.00, watch out. They will lower their pay outs considerably.
Yeah, he got caught in something alright, and it took his finger off!
>>>>"My son is a happy-go-lucky guy. He thought it was cute to show" the severed finger, Shouey said. "It's like a man thing."
Cute? A man thing????
Dude shoulda tried Ebay...
Ya get the feeling that this gene pool is on the shallow side?
This is just TOO weird....
And how again did this finger end up in Ayala's chili? Her weird husband playing a sick joke? And getting Wendy's in trouble?
Mastercard, I'm talking to you!
Just hope you don't owe them an arm and a leg.
"My son is a victim in this."
Oh, OK.
Where can I sign up to be a "victim"? I happen to be a "victim" and I WANT MONEY FOR IT.
Wasn't there a twilight zone or outer limits that cut off the fingers of smokers?
Of course not. Her husband got the idea to pull the scam the moment he had the chance to obtain someone's finger. This story, if true, is going to destroy the defense because it shows how premeditated the crime was.
Huh? She has a history of lawsuits. She decided to put it there to obtain her big payday.
I have a Lady Finger every so often and sometimes a Bear Claw.
Well, where are all the realitives of the accused now? They had no problem showing their big fat faces, supporting the accused before, and yelling at all the reporters. Why don't they speak their piece now?
And what does the accused say now, now that she has been caught big-time?
LOL - I thought the same thing!
Actually, that was a short story by Stephen King called Quitters, Inc. It was included in a 1985 movie anthology called Cat's Eye.
I hope they take every penny she has, and that the DA sends her to the slammer for life.
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