José María Muscari claims $90,000 ham slicing charge, later refunded $50,000

Argentine theater director José María Muscari sparked outrage on social media after revealing he was charged $90,000 by a deli in Buenos Aires' Recoleta neighborhood to slice and vacuum-pack one kilogram of cured ham he had brought with him. The charge, which he called "el robo del siglo" (the robbery of the century) on Instagram, quickly went viral Source: Infobae.

The incident

Muscari took the ham, a gift from a trip to Junín, to a local fiambrería to prepare portions for a World Cup viewing party. He admitted not asking the price beforehand. When he returned, the staff explained the fee covered labor and vacuum-packing. Muscari noted that the shop's own price for 100g of ham ranged from $8,000 to $14,000, meaning "it cost the same to slice it as to buy it" Source: Clarin. He shared a video titled "The robbery of the century" and wrote "They ripped me off big time" Source: Lavozar.

The reaction and refund

After the video spread, the deli contacted Muscari, claiming an administrative error by an employee. They refunded $50,000, reducing the charge to $40,000. Muscari accepted but maintained his criticism of unregulated services Source: Lavozar. He deliberately avoided naming the establishment to protect workers, though many followers demanded the name Source: La Voz.

The case has reignited debate on consumer rights and price transparency in Argentina.