He’s handsome, he’s a voracious eater, and he has been taking women on dates, where he ghosts them mid-meal. And he leaves them with the bill. A notorious serial dine-and-dasher in the greater Los Angeles area has struck again, after making headlines last summer for committing the same offense.
One woman told CBS Los Angeles that his name is Paul Gonzales while another, who matched with him on Bumble, says he identified as Dave Gonzales. Both women were left with the bill for the meal after he fled from the date.
Gonzales meets women online, initiates dates in varied locations from Pasadena to Long Beach, and is “complimentary” and “chatty” in person. He isn’t shy about ordering a large amount of food — one woman said he ordered a glass of pinot, a Caesar salad with a side of shrimp, a steak and a baked potato — and when questioned, he’s reportedly said he’s a bodybuilder, according to an account in US Weekly. After scarfing down his meal, he makes an excuse to step away for a bit. Then he’s never heard from again.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
While the days are gone where the guys are exclusively responsible for lifting the cost of a date, this is pretty shady behavior. In these cases, Gonzales has ordered over $100 of food. He then bails on covering his share of the expenses. At the very least, it puts his dates in an awkward position as they wait for him to return. What if they couldn't cover his half of the bill? Not cool.
It isn’t the 44-year-old’s first time pulling this scam. He skipped out on his share of the tab with at least two other women last year and even left without paying for services at a Burbank hair salon. Authorities have identified him and, according to the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office, there are warrants for his arrest for failing to show up to court for petty theft and driving without a license. His official records also reveal he’s spent some time in jail for misdemeanor arrests.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT