Baltic scam uncovered in US

  • 2011-04-08
  • TBT Staff

SOUTH BEACH, Florida -- A slew of Baltic women have been arrested in the US state of Florida after police uncovered a scam whereby local bars were overcharging visitors for drinks.

A total of 17 people, the majority of whom were young women from Estonia and Latvia, were arrested Wednesday for taking part in a crime ring that netted tens of thousands of dollars from unsuspecting bar clients.

The scam, a common one in the Baltic states, saw young women convince rich customers to buy them champaigne or other drinks which the bartender then drastically overcharges for. One claimant said the bar racked up $43,000 in charges, while another was charged $5,000 for a supposedly $5 glass of bubbly.