This Man Didn't Turn Up for Work For Six Full Years—And No One Realised!

Ever feel just a bit nervous about playing hooky from work for a couple of days​? Yeah, take notes from Joaquin Garcia, a 69 year old Spanish civil servant who skipped, oh I don't know, just about SIX YEARS of work, easy-breezy! 

How'd he manage this gargantuan feat? He took full advantage of a mix-up between his bosses at a water company. It was only when Garcia was due to collect his long-service medal (?!?) that they finally cracked the scam and found out the con he'd been running. 

"We thought the water company was supervising him, but that was not the case. We found out when we were about to present him with a commemorative plaque for 20 years of service," said Jorge Blas Fernandez, the man who hired Garcia (and was also Cadiz city's Deputy Mayor from 1995 to 2015). 

Justice has been mildly dispensed though—he's been fined 27,000 Euros for his long absence—the equivalent of his salary for one year (after taxes).  "He was still on the payroll. I thought, where is this man? Is he still there? Has he retired? Has he died?" Fernandez told the media.

​"I asked him: what are you doing? What did you do yesterday? And the previous month? He could not answer," Fernandez said, after investigating the matter upon being told by an employee that he hadn't seen Garcia for many years. 

Interestingly, though, Garcia used this time to become well-versed in the works of philosopher Spinoza. Talk about a new spin on getting paid for your education!