RKMBs Forums .::Important::. Politics and Current Events Wendy's Chili Mystery Solved

Quote:

---

By GREG SANDOVAL, Associated Press Writer

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The mysterious finger that a woman claimed to have found in a bowl of Wendy's chili came from an associate of her husband who lost the finger in an industrial accident, police said Friday.

"The jig is up. The puzzle pieces are beginning to fall into place, and the truth is being exposed," Police Chief Rob Davis said.

The discovery of the finger's owner marks a significant break in a case that has confounded authorities for nearly two months, ever since Anna Ayala claimed she bit down on the well-manicured, 1 1/2-inch finger in a mouthful of her steamy chili.

The case became the talk of the Internet and late-night talk shows and spawned numerous bizarre tips and theories about the source of the finger, including one about a woman whose fingertip was bitten off by a spotted leopard kept as a pet.

Authorities said last month that they believed the story was a hoax, and they arrested the 39-year-old Ayala at her home in Las Vegas and charged her with attempted grand larceny for allegedly trying to shake down Wendy's. But whose finger was in the chili remained a mystery.

The owner was traced through a tip made to a Wendy's hot line, Davis said. He said the man lost the finger in December, and authorities "positively confirmed that this subject was in fact the source of the fingertip." The nature of the industrial accident was not disclosed.

Davis said the Nevada man, whose name was not released, is cooperating. The police chief would not say if the man was in on the alleged hoax.

Police believe the man gave the finger fragment to Ayala's husband, Jaime Plascencia, who was arrested this month on identity-theft charges unrelated to the Wendy's case.

During the investigation, Wendy's said no employees at the San Jose store had missing fingers, and no suppliers of Wendy's ingredients had reported any finger injuries. Authorities reported that there was no evidence the finger had been cooked, and also said Ayala had a history of filing claims against businesses.

Sgt. Nick Muyo said someone other than the man who lost the finger called in the tip to the hot line.

Calls to an attorney for Ayala and Plascencia were not immediately returned. Wendy's did not immediately return a call to its Dublin, Ohio, headquarters.

Authorities are considering additional charges against Ayala and her husband, Davis said. "We are exploring all other options and avenues available to see that those involved in this charade will be investigated," the police chief said.

Wendy's has offered a $100,000 reward and has said it has lost millions in sales since Ayala made the claim while visiting her family in San Jose. Dozens of employees at the company's Northern California franchises also have been laid off.

---

Quote:

---

the G-man said:
Unfortunately, assuming this is her first conviction, on a count of attempted grand larceny, the maximum sentence is probably no more than fifteen years or so.

---

Quote:

---

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.

---

Quote:

---

the G-man said:
Unfortunately, assuming this is her first conviction, on a count of attempted grand larceny, the maximum sentence is probably no more than fifteen years or so.

---

Quote:

---

the G-man said:

Quote:

---

the G-man said:
Unfortunately, assuming this is her first conviction, on a count of attempted grand larceny, the maximum sentence is probably no more than fifteen years or so.

---

Ayala and her husband, Jaime Placencia, "pleaded guilty Friday to all charges related to planting a human fingertip in a bowl of Wendy's chili in a scheme to extort money from the fast food restaurant chain," CNN reports she could go to prison for as long as 10 years; he, up to 13.

---

Quote:

---

the G-man said:
For a "liberal," "man of the people" type, that last comment was sort of elitist, Jay.

---

I'm a limousine liberal, so sue me!

Quote:

---

magicjay38 said:

Quote:

---

the G-man said:
For a "liberal," "man of the people" type, that last comment was sort of elitist, Jay.

---

I'm a limousine liberal, so sue me!

---

A limousine liberal who has to pay for his cab fare on his knees.

Quote:

---

wannabuyamonkey said:


A limousine liberal who has to pay for his cab fare on his knees.

---

You really don't have a sense of humour


Have banana!

Quote:

---

magicjay38 said:

Quote:

---

wannabuyamonkey said:


A limousine liberal who has to pay for his cab fare on his knees.

---

You really don't have a sense of humour

---

Wich is exactly why I responded with a joke. I guess to you the only way to demonstrate a sense of humor is to rehash teh same tired joke over and over again.

Quote:

---

Have banana!

---

Quote:

---

wannabuyamonkey said:

Quote:

---

magicjay38 said:

Quote:

---

wannabuyamonkey said:


A limousine liberal who has to pay for his cab fare on his knees.

---

You really don't have a sense of humour

---

Wich is exactly why I responded with a joke. I guess to you the only way to demonstrate a sense of humor is to rehash teh same tired joke over and over again.

Quote:

---

Have banana!

---

---

Oh, I see, I see. You just don't have a very good sense of humour. Your jokes always sound like lame insults! Silly me!


So have a pickle, sour-puss!