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Man in handcuffs over lobster tails
Most people who work at a luxury hotel don’t make the kind of money you need to experience what guests are able to take advantage of when they stay there. One man attempted to literally get a taste of what’s available at a resort in Florida, but he landed in jail after being charged with stealing a sizable amount of food, including a massive stash of lobster tails.
Businesses that cater to people who fall in the upper class may be able to charge a premium while offering an elevated experience, and while some employees may make more than they would working at a more lowbrow establishment, the rules of capitalism tend to remain the same: maximize profits while minimizing costs.
That means many of those workers are routinely exposed to a clientele that can comfortably afford certain trappings that are out of their reach, and it’s only natural that some people who are exposed to a privileged existence on a regular basis would want to experience it for themselves.
The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables (which is ostensibly located in Miami) may not be the most expensive place to say in the area (its cheapest rooms start at around $300 if you book through its website), but the historic four-star resort positions itself as an exclusive destination where guests can take advantage of its golf course, spa, and a number of different restaurants and bars.
Those eateries offer up a wide array of elevated dishes, but one employee who had access to the ingredients used to make them allegedly got a bit too greedy before landing in hot water.
A man who worked at the Biltmore Hotel in Miami was charged with stealing close to $8,000 worth of food
According to NBC Miami, the Coral Gables Police Department was contacted by the head of security and a chef at The Biltmore after the latter discovered a number of items were unaccounted for while running inventory.
An investigation was launched, and the cops reviewed surveillance footage that led them toward a suspect: Diego Alfredo Medina-Acosta, who was repeatedly seen entering the kitchen where the missing food disappeared from—including a shift where he was seen wheeling a cart that contained a ” large quantity of lobster” that was transported to an unknown location.
They collected enough evidence to charge the 37-year-old with first-degree grand theft in connection with a lengthy list of food that was valued at a minimum of $7,854, including:
- Coconut milk can worth $98.32
- Gnocchi potato ($39.88)
- Argentinian chorizo sausage ($54.28)
- Raw shrimp ($89.30)
- 11 cleaned calamari ($137.40)
- 30 portions of snapper ($273)
- 116.7 pounds of pork belly ($637.18)
- 192 lobster tails ($6,525)
Medina-Acosta resigned after learning he was at the center of an investigation, and following his departure, “the kitchen experienced a substantial amount of food remaining” when it checked inventory.
He was booked into Miami-Dade County Jail, but it’s unclear if he’s entered a plea as of this writing.