This L.A. man found a bag containing $140,000 lying in the street and returned the money. What would you do if you found a bag full of money?
“Is Los Angeles resident Eli Estrada nuts?
“Last month, Estrada found $140,000 in cash in a bank deposit bag on a street in Cerritos.
‘The money had been picked up by a Brinks Armored truck at the Bank of America in the parking lot of the Cerritos Center mall the morning of March 11.
“Passers-by said it looked as though a guard left the bag on the truck’s bumper.
“It was a tempting sight, all those unmarked $20 bills bundled into wads of $20,000 and bound for ATMs. And all of it untraceable.
“But there is also the fear the money was part of a robbery gone wrong and that he could have some bad people on his case if he kept it. Plus, if he were caught with the cash, he would be guilty of stealing. The legal fallout could destroy his future dreams.
“So Estrada and his business partner, who was with him when they found the bag, pondered their choices as they counted the bills.
TheStateOf . . . Finders Keepers. This is a tough one. I (J) would be worried that the bills were somehow marked and traceable. In the end, I’d probably turn it in. But it’s a close call.
Just read this story in the paper. They gave him $2,000 after he turned it in. Of $140,000.
HE SHOULD HAVE KEPT IT.
I dont get all the hub bub about he did something wrong..or it wouldnt have felt right…..bullshit!
Aint no crime in finding somthing.
Finders keepers. Especially if it is a big bank. They would be ok.
Hell to the naw would I have returned that money for what? A reward that totaled less than 1.5% of the money lost?
With $140K l could have paid off my credit cards, my student loan and had enough to buy a nice piece of land and build a house.
I would just be worried about getting caught with all these dang cameras in L.A. and the bills being marked.
If I’m gonna go down, it won’t be over $140,000. It’ll be over $10.4M.
Going down for what J?! That is precisely the point.
FINDING MONEY IS NOT A CRIME.
Its not like the man took it.
Rod, I’d write a check to Sallie Mae with the words “Kiss My Ass Then Die” in the subject line!
Yea J. No crime in finding money on the street. Marked or not. Now if he found it IN the truck that would be different…
That Anonymous was me.
My son would have a nice “college nest egg” and I would breathe a little easier….
Big J dont worry about getting caught we can clean that money in a week. Bring the money to me and I will give you $2000 of my own money so you wont have to worry at all.
Big J PLEASE!!!
Your cheap ass would not have returned the money.
But on the off chance that you would, let your boy Big Wayne drive it to the police station for you. They might try and implicate you in a crime. I’ll take the heat for you.
Isn’t that what friends are for?
Actually, finding money and not returning it is a crime.
You will go to prision.
@Anon
Only if you get caught
If i found the money, i’m going to dinner at Starz…..LOL
idiot! numbskull! POLTROON! the honesty you have shown will not be rewarded! you will be villified as a fucking moron. keep the money. launder it through vegas in one night and you are fucking scott goddamn fucking free you bloody idiot. hope you’re happy with whatever pittance the bank decides to throw you for the pr. here doggie doggie want a bone? on the ground ethics doesn’t mean jack fucking shite!
I can only assume the two “Anonymous” comments above are from different individuals, but I marvel at how one of the lawyers in the TSO crew could not know that it would be a crime not to turn in found money.
My issue is that it would not be safe at the police station either ’cause we got some crookit cops. I also took note that he and his friend counted it because if no one claimed it, then they would get every bill back, which means the IRS would then know about their new-found income.
I would have kept the Dough!!
But, I would be sleep one eye up, looking out for Anton Chigurh!! (No Country for Old Men)
CJ and anonymous,
I actually perused the California Penal Code and did some search on the internet and found NOT ONE reference to any statute that requires that found money be returned.
On what do you two base your marvel that one of the lawyers in the TSO crew could not know that it would be a crime not to turn in found money?
If there is a specific statute (and not one subject to career enhancing interpretation by some overzealous DA), by all means enlighten me. As hard as it is to believe, I dont know everything.
Otherwise, query to what extent it makes “good public policy” to let folks believe that one MUST return lost property if it is found.
Oh, and that Anton Chirgurh stuff is some real talk!
You go RJEsq!! Forgive me for thinking that you, as a black female lawyer, know everything.
Granted I do not know CA law, it has always been my understanding that found money (esp. in bags w/ $$ on the side) needed to be turned into the nearest police department, where after a suitable waiting period it could be returned to me (the finder) if not claimed by its rightful owner. If what you say is not on the books, but just hearsay propagated by the cops, then I want my 10 years back for the $50K I found on the street and was wrongfully imprisoned for keeping…just kidding about the last part.
I have been told that by the police though.
I would have returned the money