The Spanish police have arrested a woman who allegedly faked her own kidnapping - and who went to play bingo with the ransom paid by her husband.
The 47-year-old was discovered in the bingo room in the city of Badalona not far from Barcelona and arrested after withdrawing the money, reported the newspaper "ABC" and other Spanish media on Monday, citing the regional police.
The woman asked for 6,000 euros and received part of the money, it said.
Her husband was in hospital at the time of the ransom demand in early October.
He was contacted by his wife - anonymously - via a message on his mobile phone in the hospital bed.
He then immediately arranged a transfer to the account mentioned by the alleged kidnappers - but also alerted the police.
They solved the case quickly.
Woman could be addicted to gambling
The bingo room where the woman was discovered is exactly opposite the hospital where the unsuspecting husband was lying.
The woman, who presumably suffers from gambling addiction, has since been released under certain conditions, it said.
You will soon be brought before the judge.
She is charged with pretending to have committed a criminal offense.
Under Spanish law, she can therefore be sentenced to a prison term of up to two years.
ngo / dpa