Spanish man skipped work for 6 years, still got paid
(FOX NEWS) - A Spanish government employee took a six-year break from work and still got paid before his bosses finally discovered the ruse, local media reported.
A Spanish court in January approved his fine which amounted to more than $30,000, according to El Mundo. Still, that's less than his $42,000 salary he earned each year under the reported scheme.
Joaquin Garcia, 69, supervised the construction of a waste water treatment plant in Cadiz, southwest of Seville, the BBC reports. The head of the water company said in court Garcia's office was near his, but for years he never saw the man.
The water company reportedly thought government officials were Garcia's bosses, and vice versa.
Officials said Garcia started skipping work in 2004. Deputy mayor Jorge Blas Fernández finally caught him in 2010 after Garcia became eligible for a special plaque honoring his "20 years' service," the BBC adds.