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Serial dash-diner charged with taking women on fancy dates then sneaking out before check arrives

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Restaurant bill. (Photo: Getty Images/Gallo Images)
Restaurant bill. (Photo: Getty Images/Gallo Images)

A man is facing years in prison for allegedly forcing a bunch of women to pay for their meal on the first date.

Paul Guadalupe Gonzales from Los Angeles is facing 10 counts of extortion, fraud and petty theft against 10 women over the past two years, Independent reports.

The 45-year-old would allegedly meet women on the dating app Plenty Fish and offer to take them out on a fancy date to an upscale restaurant in LA.

He’d then eat one or two expensive dishes and order alcohol before saying he needed to use the bathroom or make a phone call and would then make a run for it, Metro reports.

The man left eight of his dates paying the bill, which added up to $950 (R13 775). Some restaurants felt sorry for the women and decided to pay for their meal.

One of Guadalupe Gonzales’ victims, Diane Guilmette, spoke to CBS News about the moment she realised she had to pay the ridiculously high bill.

“He ordered a lot of food,” Diane says.

“He had an appetiser. He ordered a steak. This restaurant is all al la carte. He even ordered a couple of sides, a glass of wine.

“So he looked like he was really enjoying himself.

“When we got near to the end of the meal, not quite finished, he said he had to go make a phone call.”

That’s when Diana realised her date wouldn’t be returning.

“When I went to message him on the app he’d blocked me. And I thought, ‘Oh my gosh! Is this really happening right now?’” she said.

Another victim, Yolanda Lora, told NY Daily News she accepted an invite from Guadalupe Gonzales to a sushi restaurant in West Hollywood last year.

“I remember he was talking really fast and eating really fast and then said his youngest son was calling him,” Yolanda said.

She claimed Guadalupe Gonzales ordered two glasses of wine within 15 minutes.

“What kind of monster does this? I was so embarrassed. I’m not an insecure woman but it made me feel very insecure.

“I’m just glad he got caught. I don’t want any other women to have to go through that,” she said.

Guadalupe Gonzales pleaded not guilty to the charges and faces up to 13 years in prison if he’s found guilty, The Guardian reports. 

Sources: Metro, CBS, Independent

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