NEWS / YouTube star obtains fake death certificate to get airline refund

Popular YouTube comedian Max Fosh got a fake death certificate in order to receive a $50 refund from an unnamed airline, according to The Independent. The certificate was obtained from unrecognized Principality of Seborga, located in the northwest of Italy near the French border.

“I am embarking on this mission because I’m incredibly petty,” Fosh, who has nearly 5 million subscribers stated in his YouTube video about the experience, which currently has over 2 million views. “It’s the principle that I take issue with.”

A few months prior, Fosh reportedly purchased an airline ticket, but was ultimately unable to take the trip. When he called the airline to get a refund, he was told that refunds were only issued to deceased passengers.

“Airlines will only provide cash refunds if passengers are dead,” Fosh stated. “So, I needed to die. This is a story of how I traveled to another country, held my own funeral, and was legally declared dead, all to get back £37.28 from the big bad airlines.”

£37.28 is the equivalent of $50.

Fosh then decided to travel to the unrecognized micro-nation of Seborga, a town with its own flag, currency, and government. Fosh fight with corporate aviation seemed to resonate with the leader of the breakaway city-state, Princess Nina Menegatto, with whom Fosh met as part of a so-called diplomatic visit.

“We took part in the idea of Max Fosh and cooperated with him and his team for entertainment/content purposes only,” Seborga authorities were quoted by People magazine as stating.

Fosh went so far as to host a funeral service attended by 3 “mourners” and his editor, who read a eulogy speech.

Once the YouTuber received the coveted Seborgan death certificate, he submitted it to the airline. 5 days later he received a response confirming that the airline was ready to go through with the request.

However, Fosh’s lawyer advised the vlogger that going forward with receiving the refund could constitute fraudulent activity.