Two yacht workers jailed for skipping on a $260 bar tab in Fort Lauderdale Judge orders the men to pay the tab – and a 'fat tip' – by Friday By Ihosvani Rodriguez, Sun Sentinel 5:07 p.m. EST, February 5, 2013 FORT LAUDERDALE— The days when a restaurant would make you wash dishes for not paying the bill are gone. Two Fort Lauderdale yacht workers found out as much late Monday when they were shown the path to the Broward County Main Jail instead of a kitchen. Now, not only will they have to pay the bar for the booze, but they must leave a "fat tip" to the server they stiffed, according to a judge's orders. South African nationals Heinrich Johnson, 21, and Justus Joubert, 34, are each charged with one count of defrauding an innkeeper and spent one night at the jail. According to their arrest report, the two ran up a $260.34 food and drink tab at the Bahia Cabana Beach Resort on Fort Lauderdale beach, then said they had no money to pay for it. The manager called the cops and vowed to press charges. A Fort Lauderdale police officer arrested the duo at the bar about 10 p.m Monday. The arrest report does not show what items the men ordered, but police noted that both men appeared liquored up. While their bonds were initially set for $25 each, Broward Judge John "Jay" Hurley worked out a deal with the two foreign-born workers during a brief bond court hearing Tuesday. Hurley acknowledged that the men might flee the country and escape prosecution, or have problems coming back into the country to work because of their pending criminal case. Both men are scheduled to leave the country next week on a work-related trip, the men said. Hurley's advice to them was simple. "If I was still a private attorney, I would tell you go back to the Bahia Cabana, pay off your tab and leave a fat tip for that waitress," Hurley said. "Perhaps [prosecutors] will chalk it off as extreme intoxication." "That's the best idea," Joubert quickly answered. Both men agreed to return to the bar, then bring a receipt to Hurley's courtroom Friday indicating they paid the bill and the tip. A manager at the Bahia Cabana declined to comment about the incident. Copied from Sun Sentinel. Link with video: Yacht workers arrested for not paying $260 bar tab at Fort Lauderdale restaurant - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com .
They did not return to the bar, left town on the yacht. Friday arrived. The defendants didn't. The prosecutor contacted the restaurant. "They said the gentlemen did not show up and pay," said Ron Ishoy, spokesman for the State Attorney's Office. Hurley issued a "no bond" warrant. That means if the pair are arrested for something else, they won't be bonded out until they resolve their tab. That charge carries a 60-day jail term. Richard Stassen, food and beverage director at the Bahia Cabana, said the men still hadn't appeared late Friday afternoon. "I'm thinking they jumped on a quick boat back to South Africa," he said. Indeed, Joubert told the judge he and Johnson would soon be departing for another yacht job.
Bahia should do a little investigating and contact their next port of call as well as all bars and restaurants there. Wonder how the yacht's owner would like arriving right after the yachts reputation for being deadbeats arrives. Nasty SOB that I am, my phone calls would precede that yacht for the next year or until he shipped the crewmembers back to do some jailtime (whichever came first).
Hi, Yacht Crew not paying their bar bills is not unique to FLL. One scam I have seen near a yard I did a build in was a large number of a yachts crew would turn up, many would piss it up and a few would come and go leaving a recent arrival as last one at tables. This one or two would deny responsibility for the bill. The Captain of that yacht was not helpful in getting it sorted out which along with a few other antics led many to believe he encouraged less than acceptable behaviour. This has resulted in most of the local bars refusing tabs to crew. This might be one of the guys in the Bahia Cabana scam http://www.facebook.com/heinrich.johnson.54/about In his list of friends he has one with the same family name and different first name although they attended the same school. It also says he attended Atlantic Sailing School class of 2012 and will be attending the Ultra Music Festival in Miami next month so he probably hadn't gone far.
They'll get what they deserve somewhere down the line. Do that in some of those smaller islands in the Carribean and they'll end up getting rolled all of the way down the street to the marina by the bartender at some bar.
Hopefully these two will be put in the C&BP data base, so the next time they try to come into the country they get thrown in the pokie, or denied entry. Pretty stupid and shortsighted of them, as it is really beneficial as a yachty to be able to come into the US. So far none of my crew know them, or what boat they are on, but I am sure it is just a matter of time for it to be found out. If they were on my boat they would have paid the tab and been put ashore, with a notice to C&BP.
yeah, with all the publicity with pics, you-tube video from court, etc, why did the Captain not clean up and/or fire them..?
Wonder if the yacht's owner, his friends or captain read YF. Shame is a great motivator. Remember the incident a few years back with SeaDoo for Dad up on the C&D. A very arrogent owner became quite contrite eventually. Anybody know the name of the boat they're working on?
If they skipped out on this bill and disobeyed the Judges order (a very kind order) they may already be ripping off the owner/boat..... even if the bar bill was some kind of civil dispute or overcharging by the bar/restaurant, they displayed a disregard to follow lawful orders of a judge and they brought discredit to their employer In the words of "The Donald", "YOU'RE FIRED!"
