BINGSON JOHN, a 69-year-old man, has been arrested by the police officials for allegedly defrauding over 300 luxury hotels across India in 30 years. He used various fake identities and left without paying his bills at the hotels. For the past three decades, he allegedly pulled off the same trick at every luxury hotel, checking in like a paying guest and disappearing before the bill arrived. John was finally arrested by the Chhattisgarh police after he evaded a huge bill at a Hyatt Hotel in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

The accused allegedly stayed in various luxury hotels as an English teacher, foreign tourist guide, or a yoga trainer and left before paying the bills. The police said that he would stay for several days, use the hotel's facilities, and then disappear without paying the bill. 

How did Bingson John manage to fool hotel staff?

Police officials said Bingson John checked into five-star hotels with different identities to gain trust of the hotel staff.  He often carried two bags with him, one bag with personal belongings and another bag filled with newspapers or pillows and would sometimes leave one behind to avoid suspicion about his departure without clearing his bills. The investigation team said that he also smuggled out high-value items such as laptops, liquor, or cigarettes, which he later sold to earn money.

See also: Illegal use of domestic LPG cylinders in Mumbai hotel; FIR filed against owner, manager

John continued doing this across multiple states, including Maharashtra, Delhi, Goa, Telangana, and Kerala. Several records show that he had been arrested before, with cases dating back to the mid-1990s.

Who is 69-year-old Bingson John?

A 69-year-old Bingson John was born in Thoothukudi district in Tamil Nadu. He completed his schooling from an English-medium school and in the 1980s, and worked as a tourist guide in Delhi. During this period, he was staying in luxury hotels and became familiar with several such establishments across the country. After that, he decided to live in five-star hotels but slipped away when it was time to pay the bill. In 1996, Bingson John was booked and arrested by the Delhi Police for the first time and sent to Tihar Jail.

In 2016, he was arrested in Delhi for not paying the bill of Rs 50,000 and for stealing a laptop at the Radisson Hotel, and for cheating Le Meridien. Another incident occurred when he was arrested in December 2020, based on a complaint by Tunga Hotel in Mumbai after he stayed in a suite for two days but did not clear the bills while leaving. During his stay there, he ordered expensive liquor and cigarettes through room service. Moreover, he even booked the hotel’s banquet room, along with the catering service for some events.

See also: Hyderabad Shocker: 26-Year-Old Woman Checks into Hotel with a Man, Later Dies by Suicide While on a Video Call with a Friend

Bingson John, the serial offender

Bingson John was arrested by Raipur Police in Bhubaneswar within 72 hours of Hyatt Raipur’s complaint. According to the hotel’s complaint, he had stayed at the hotel from June 25 to June 27, 2026, and left without paying a Rs 63,755 bill, and stole a laptop worth Rs 1.48 lakh. Technical surveillance, analysis of his documents, and John’s phone records led to his swift capture. The police further added that the  stolen laptop has been recovered.

When police were interrogating John, he said that he was influenced by the methods of notorious serial killer and conman Charles Sobhraj while lodged in Tihar Jail, Delhi. John adopted Sobhraj's use of fake identities and deception to cheat five-star hotels.

John also told police that one day he was insulted by the luxury hotel staff after something went wrong, and from then on, he decided to target luxury hotels for cheating. His criminal record and details of cases registered against him in different states has been verified by the police officials. 

The accused has been produced before a court, and further investigation is underway.

(Edited by Khushboo Singh)

Suggested reading: