Checks and Balances

In March 2007, the state of Minnesota accidentally sent Sabrina Walker a check for $2.6 million. Suddenly, the Hopkins High School counselor's life turned into a real-life rags-to-riches story.

She dropped the cash on jewelry, a Chrysler Crossfire, electronics, a $500K treasury bond, a few retirement accounts, and two grand worth of limousine service.

Meanwhile, the state didn't have a clue about the missing money, which was supposed to go to the Hennepin County Medical Center. Officials only got word of the missing funds when Walker called to ask if the check was legit.

Walker was charged with four felonies, including theft by swindle and concealing the proceeds of a crime. Last week she was sentenced to nine months in the workhouse.

But the Walker episode wasn't the state's only mistake. Between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008, the state wrote 162 checks to the wrong people—a potential loss of $331,281.

In each case, however, the recipient notified the state of the error or a company complained that a payment never came. "The payments were stopped," says Department of Finance Assistant Commissioner Lori Mo. "None of this money was lost."
Mo does concede that if no one reports a mistake, whoever receives the check could conceivably keep the money. And with around 630,000 checks being cut from the state's central accounting system annually, it's possible that a few folks are walking around with some state-sponsored bling.

—Bradley Campbell

http://www.citypages.com/2008-10-15/...by-feds-karma/

 

Gret taste in cars but, one would think a HS counselor would be smart enough to question it before going on a outlandish spending spree.

 

lol welcome to minnesota lol Im kidding I love it here, but yes you would think they would be smart enough to know hey there is something wrong here and this is not and will never be my money....

 

Of course it could be your money. Just in a country without extradition treaties!

 

Who are you kidding, If they mailed you a check for that much, you'd be buying SLRs and C63s left and right! Probably have one for each day of the week. I know I would. Then I'd buy an island and move!!! LOL

 

AFTER you pave it! Right?

 

Damn Skippy!!!

 

if you live in Minnesota, it IS YOUR money! and NOT mine, I live in Virginia!