Maximilian Arthur Fosh, widely known as Max Fosh, has captured international attention after staging his own death to claim a refund of £37.28 (approximately Rs 4,300). The 30-year-old recently released a video detailing his journey to another country to arrange his funeral.
In the YouTube video titled “I Technically Died,” Fosh explained that he had booked a flight two months prior but was unable to take it. When he sought a refund, he discovered a legal loophole stating that airlines only issue cash refunds to deceased passengers. “I found a cheeky legal clause that airlines use that lots of people fall foul of,” he noted.
Fosh traveled to the Principality of Seborga, a self-proclaimed micronation in Liguria, northern Italy, to obtain a death certificate from Princess Nina Menegatto. During his visit, he had the chance to meet the princess and learn about the micronation's history and culture. The officials issued him a death certificate and even invited him for a state visit.
Armed with the death certificate, Fosh submitted a refund request to the airline, which was approved pending the submission of his bank details. However, his lawyer advised him to pause the refund process to prevent any potential fraud related to the Principality of Seborga. “It’s not fraud, but it is fraudulent… Normally I would let you, but this time I really have to put my foot down,” a phone call in the video revealed.
The video attracted almost two million views on YouTube and sparked a flurry of reactions. One viewer remarked, “Enlisting a small Italian city-state for fraudulent activities feels so 1850s.” Another user added, “I must say, Seborga seems like the perfect petty location for this.” A third commenter noted, “This guy is so petty that he booked an extra flight just to get a refund on another one.”
