Banana Man Charged with Fraud

We've all been there, you're strapped for cash and need to make some quick easy, easy money. Maurice Owens, 42, of Washington, USA, found himself faced with a serious cash flow problem and decided to concoct a slippery insurance scam to put his money worries to end. And what better way to give the authorities the slip than using one of the oldest tricks in the book – falling over a banana peel?

Mr Owens thought he had given authorities the slip after dropping a banana peel in an elevator at the Potomac Avenue station before staging an elaborate fall and suing to city's transit authority for $15,000 following alleged leg and hip injuries.While the stunt may have initially seemed a-peeling, Mr Owens found himself in hot water after the entire scam was caught on camera.

CCTV footage shows Owens dropping a banana peel as he looks in the direction of the camera. He steps on the peel as the elevator door opens, and the video shows him appearing to thrusting himself forward and falling to the ground.

His claim was later thrown out of court and Owens has been charged with felony second-degree fraud. Serves him right for monkeying around...