Unless someone can vouch that they saw him in the grips of a drug or alcohol addiction, why do assume that he's not lying and was addicted to anything? (besides taking people's money)
Yes it took some balls to show up here and speak up instead of hiding like a coward. However making excuses and passing the buck on PayPal doesn't excuse anything. He ripped people off and maybe used addiction as an excuse (in which case, he truly is scum)
Hope you get a refund eventually Mike and others.