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A Massachusetts woman was arrested earlier this week after allegedly racking up a taxi
fare so high she couldn't afford to pay it.
Thirty-one-year-old Denise Rebelato was arrested Wednesday after hailing a cab at New York's
JFK Airport and getting a ride all the way to the Boston area.
WHDH reports the cabby told Rebelato it would cost nearly $1,000 to get to Framingham from
New York, and she agreed to pay it when they left the airport.
But after the roughly 200-mile journey, the New York Post reports Rebelato couldn't get
the money to pay for the trip — meaning the driver still hasn't gotten paid. He says
he spent $75 on gas and $40 in tolls in addition to the $150 he spent to rent the cab for a
shift.
Taking a four-hour cab ride sounds a bit unusual, right?
Well apparently, it might not be all that uncommon. A New York Daily News reporter said
she called several cab companies asking for rides from New York to Boston to see how much
they were, and people on the other line didn't sound surprised at all.
WBZ-TV reports Rebelato was formally charged with larceny in a Massachusetts court Friday.
And WABC points out the judge wasn't sure why Rebelato didn't just take the bus — a
much cheaper option — instead.
According to the New York Post, charges against Rebelato will be dropped if she can pay off
her massive bill by April 7.