The ridiculously true story of how Austin Idol cashed a $5,000 check from a promoter that he wasn’t supposed to…and got away with it.

In the late 70s, Austin Idol flew into Columbus to take part in a Georgia Championship Wrestling battle royal at the request of booker Ole Anderson. Idol was living in Florida at the time.

GCW promoter Fred Ward was notorious for shorting talent on pay so Idol told Anderson he’d show up if he got a guaranteed pay for the night. All parties agreed. Anderson decided to book Idol to win the battle royal.

At the end of the match, Ward handed Idol a legit check for $5,000, in front of all the fans. Idol paid little attention to the slip of paper. He just stuffed it into his tights and headed back to the dressing room.

Later that night, he pulled out the check and took a closer look. The check was from a legit account and made out to “Austin Idol.”

Idol kept the check, flew back to Florida, and stuck the check in a drawer.

“I’d forgotten about the check,” Idol told the Two Man Power Trip podcast in 2017, “I planned to take a trip to the Carolinas, and I’m looking through some things, and I find the check.” Idol thought about all the guys Ward had stiffed over the years, including himself, so he decided to try and cash the check.

On the road trip, Idol stopped in Atlanta “where he does most of his banking,” and the place were people would recognize him as a famous wrestler.

The teller cashed the check without an issue. Idol never heard a thing about the check after.

“I knew it was wrong,” he admitted, “but I also knew it was right.”