Man Burns Down Own Restaurant, Fakes Attack On Himself, Gets 7-Year Jail Term

It may appear to be straight out of a Hollywood movie. A man in Australia burned down his restaurant and then faked an attack on himself hoping that it would help him overcome his debt. But the climax did not favor him as the lies he built up for the story did not stand in the court.

Angelo Ziotas, 38, from Sydney, Australia, was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment – with a minimum term of four years – by a court Wednesday, reported The Guardian. The incident happened in July 2019.

After losing $30,000 in gambling, Ziotas initially decided to kill himself. He then changed his mind thinking that a "murder attempt" would get covered under the superannuation scheme paid out to his partner.

He dressed up as a masked intruder and lit up 50 tea candles to set his restaurant on fire. He also set alight the clothes he was wearing. The flames spread and ignited some chemicals stored under the staircase of the building. The fire damaged the entire building and also killed his partner's dog.

Ziotas told police that he was attacked by a masked intruder and was stabbed in the back twice. He also said that he passed out after the attack and the building was on fire when he woke up.

Police initially thought it was a case of attempted homicide and arson. But during the investigation, they found a pair of gloves at the scene, which brought a dramatic twist to the "intruder" story. The DNA found on the gloves matched to that of Ziotas, reported news.com.au.

When questioned, Ziotas admitted that he was lying and his motive was to make financial gains to cover up his debt.

The court, however, could not find enough evidence as to how the man would get benefits as the restaurant's insurance policy was not in his name.

"His decision-making was, in my view, clearly impaired," the judge said on Wednesday.

Ziotas pleaded guilty to perverting the court of justice, recklessly killing an animal and dishonestly damaging property by fire for gain. His lawyers told the court that his client has shown genuine remorse for his actions. The court ruled that Ziotas will be eligible for parole in July 2023.