A New York man faked his own kidnapping to avoid paying a hefty sum of money on a lost Super Bowl bet, according to a report from the Associated Press.

Robert Brandel was charged with first-degree felony of scheme to defraud and third-degree misdemeanor of falsely reporting an incident, according to the report. New York state police found Brandel tied up in a pickup truck earlier this week.

Brandel reportedly told police that he had been robbed of $16,000 by two men who drove him around for two days before abandoning him. But Brandel allegedly entered two fake names in a Super Bowl squares pool in an effort to win $50,000.

He came up short in the payments he owed, according to the report.

According to Buffalo News, Brandel was found with a rope tied around his neck and attached to the head rest and his ankles and hands were bound with duct tape. Officers then took a deposition from the man and moved the vehicle into evidence.

The Patriots defeated the Rams 13-3 in the Super Bowl.