Posted on 11/26/2007 3:09:46 PM PST by rocksblues
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - There are probably a million ways Jerry Mika could spend $2 million dollars. Trouble is, he couldn't cash the check. Expecting a $15 refund from the Utah Department of Commerce, the Draper man opened his mail recently to find a $2,245,342 check.
"I kept trying to find a way to make it legitimate so I could cash it," he said. "I did think about all the things I could do with the money ... who wouldn't?"
Mika returned the check - a mistake that occurred when an employee entered a serial number, not an amount - to state finance offices Wednesday.
"Clearly we have an honest, honest citizen. I wish I could do something more than say thanks," commerce department director Francine Giani said.
Giani said the state will implement additional internal controls to catch such mistakes in the future. A new computer system, which only requires entering the amount of a check once, might have contributed to the problem, she said.
Mika, who runs the nonprofit Providence Foundation to help Nepalese sherpas, said he's had great fun showing off the state's mistake.
"Everybody looked at it, started giggling and asked why I wasn't already in Switzerland," he said.
He admits to being tempted to deposit the money and draw a bit interest before the state asked for its return.
"That money would have gone a long way," he said.
But ultimately honestly and the idea of spending time at the Utah state prison made Mika too nervous to do anything.
Because the check was state-issued, cashing it would probably have been easy, despite the large amount, Giani said.
"It was a valid check," said Rick Beckstead, the state accounting operation manager whose signature is stamped on the check. "But it would have been caught when we did reconciliation and we would have been after him for the refund."
We should always allow computers to make the final decision. /S
You'd haveta find me first!........
is this a joke?
Who wouldn't? Uh, maybe an inwardly righteous man who wouldn't just do the outwardly honest thing to do?
I am sure that Mika is a member of “The Church of Later Day Saints”.
Could he have deposited the check in a savings account, and drawn the interest until they asked for the $ back? He could have been honest, and still made a few bucks;)
To err is human, to admit it is stupid!
The “interest” would belong to the state also. However, the bank would probably have investigated the legitimacy of such a large check being deposited................
“...Foundation to help Nepalese sherpas”
Oh, c’mon.
“But it would have been caught when we did reconciliation and we would have been after him for the refund.”
“Just say you spent it.”
“a mistake that occurred when an employee entered a serial number, not an amount”
Reminds me of the shows that have a rich person say “Here’s my offer and my phone number if you want to take it.” and the other person responds “Which is which?”
Thanks Red!
I had an accident once in the 70’s and my insurance company sent me a check for a little over $12,000 for my damages. It was a ‘74 Pinto. The check was supposed to be $1200. I returned it.........
In other news, the honest man’s girlfriend dumped him, and his landlord evicted him.
Or “I forgot.”....................(Steve Martin)...............
>> “But it would have been caught when we did reconciliation and we would have been after him for the refund.”
“Just say you spent it.” <<
Spent it? Why? Just put it into a high interest savings account and return the principle when (if?) they ask.
...Until 2008 when the bank sends you their statement for the IRS of your *earnings*. Good luck with that.
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