Nefarious prankster fills his brother-in-laws belly button with super glue, refuses to help pay the $2,253 emergency room bill to get it out: 'I took him to small claims court, and I won. However, he still hasn’t paid'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Mar 3, 2025 8:00 PM EST

There's a fine line between a fun prank and a bridge too far, and it's not always easy to tell which is which. About a year ago, there was this big TikTok trend where people would tell their friends and family members that their favorite celebrity had passed suddenly. For instance, if you were to prank me this way, you would look at your phone, gasp, and say, "Oh my God, Paul Dano De*d at 40," and film me to see my devastated reaction.

Whether this prank is above board is open to discussion. A lot of us believe in speaking things into existence, whether we have specific religious or spiritual beliefs to back up that belief or not. I fear it's bad juju even to type words that speak of an untimely demise for my favorite actor, but unless I'm proven wrong, this kind of prank does no tangible harm. 

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  • The prank that the brother-in-law in this story pulled is anything but harmless. He put super glue in his brother-in-law's belly button, and he had to go to the Emergency Room to get it out. That set him back over $2000 in medical bills, and now the prankster is refusing to pay him back. 

  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10475492608
    via satincherry

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02

    AITAH for taking my BIL to small claims court for a prank?

    I recently took my brother-in-law to small claims court over a prank he pulled on me, and now my wife and her family are furious. I need to know if I'm in the wrong here.
    via u/satincherry
  • 03
    A few months ago, we were at a family BBQ. I had a few too many beers and fell asleep in a hammock with my shirt off. My BIL, who was completely sober, thought it would be hilarious to fill my belly button with super glue. At some point, I must have touched it, because when I woke up, I had glue partially dried in my belly button and on my finger.
    via u/satincherry
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    Cheezburger Image 10475499776
    via Edward Cordoba Bastidas (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 05
    We tried to remove it, but it was stuck. The glue had adhered to my skin, and when we attempted to peel it off, it caused some tearing around the edges. Unfortunately, my job's insurance has a $1,000 ER copay, but I had no choice I had to go to the ER. They used a solvent and an ointment to remove the glue, and after everything, I was left with a medical bill of $2,253.
    via u/satincherry
  • 06
    I asked my BIL to cover the cost since he caused the situation. He refused. After trying to resolve it privately, I took him to small claims court-and I won. However, he still hasn't paid. This has caused a major rift in my family. My wife is upset, and her family thinks I overreacted. So, AITAH for taking him to court over this?
    via u/satincherry
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    Cheezburger Image 10475500032
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 08
    SherryGabs NTA. I can't believe your wife isn't with you on this. Pranks shouldn't involve the ER.
    via u/SherryGabs
  • 09
    tandjmohr And thousands of dollars...
    via u/tandjmohr
  • 10
    DarkyHelmety USUSUSUSUSUS
    via u/DarkyHelmety
  • 11
    strekkingur He should ask his wife how a small prank around gums into her hair, she would tolerate from her brother.
    via u/strekkingur
  • 12
    Lounge_leaks Make it HIS brother and her answer probably changes
    via u/Lounge_leaks
  • 13
    Boomshrooom Unfortunately this is the case. Partners will often expect you to tolerate behaviour from their family and friends that they wouldn't accept from yours
    via u/Boomshrooom
  • 14
    PoetPsychological620 oh we don't like glad my bf and i both have our beef with both sides of the family that we agree on your mom now? bet
    via u/PoetPsychological620
  • 15
    mocha_lattes • 18h ago NTA go back and ask the courts to put a lien to force him to pay it. That or they can garnish his wages.
    via u/mocha_lattes_
  • 16
    Paul Fern64 If he stole $2253 from you, do your wife and her family think he should not have to pay it back? That's exactly what he did! He assaulted you and robbed you of over $2200! Nail his ass! He might think twice the next time he "pranks" someone. Unfortunately, expect familial discord because of his bad choice.
    via u/PaulFern64
  • 17
    GNav Yea yo. This isn't a prank, a prank is like...whipped cream on his hand and tickling his face so he smacks himself. This is straight ILLEGAL.
    via u/GNav
  • 18
    abstractengineer2000 Do stupid things, face stupid consequences.
    via u/abstractengineer2000
  • 19
    debdeman 13h ago • h I the thief is your medical system. How the h I did that cost that much!!! I'm so sorry you guys have to put up with that.
    via u/debdeman
  • 20
    Ok-Selection4206 Or put him in jail..
    via u/Ok-Selection4206
  • 21
    mocha_lattes They won't for an unpaid small claims court ruling.
    via u/mocha_lattes_
  • 22
    Wereallgonnadieman NTA. Your spouse should have your back.
    via u/Wereallgonnadieman
  • 23
    ulose2piranha I absolutely agree, but I am a little curious about the background with the OP and wife. If he's getting so dr_nk at a family gathering that he passes out shirtless in a hammock, there's a non-zero chance that he drinks too much in general. Obviously, we don't know OP, so this is purely speculation, but if even his wife doesn't have his back, it may be the case that she's sick of him getting hammered at family events and thought the prank was justified.
    via u/ulose2piranha
  • 24
    Don't get me wrong: nothing justifies what the BIL did, but if the wife isn't that upset about the "prank" then maybe she's at a breaking point with his drinking. Or maybe he just married the woman in the world.
    via u/ulose2piranha
  • 25
    Key-Quantity8102 NTA. You should both go on Judge Judy. I'll pop the popcorn.
    via u/Key-Quantity8102
  • 26
    peacefully84 That's actually not the worst idea. It's such an odd story it's likely to end up on one of those arbitrator shows and often they pay the payout at the end. This one is a fairly clear win. Not sure they'll take him if he already has a judgement. Maybe, just for the story.
    via u/peacefully84

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pranked glue marriage emergency room prankster wife super glue parents in law medical bills father in law in laws prank mother in law pranks brother in law
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