The Unfortunate Transfer: A Boon Turns to Burden

In an event that could only occur in our cryto-crazy world, Thevamanogari Manivel and Jatinder Singh, a couple from Melbourne, found themselves the unwitting stars of a financial fiasco that would make even the most seasoned investor raise an eyebrow. On a seemingly routine day in May 2021, Manivel accidentally transferred a whopping 10.5 million AUD (that’s about 6.7 million USD for those keeping score) to her partner’s account on a popular cryptocurrency platform.

A Refund to Remember

Here’s where the plot thickened like a poorly made gravy: instead of the expected refund of 100 AUD for an earlier endeavor, the exchange’s system malfunctioned and sent a staggering sum instead. Can you say “oops”? This slip-up went unnoticed until December 2021, when the exchange put on its ‘detective goggles’ during its annual audit and discovered the hitch. Spoiler alert: the couple was already knee-deep in a spending spree!

Pleasure or Theft? The Legal Tightrope

Once the scales of justice got a whiff of this mix-up, the courts were summoned. When the Victoria Supreme Court intervened, the judicial system ruled that the funds were to be returned to the platform. However, our not-so-lucky duo didn’t exactly save for a rainy day and had already gone on a shopping spree of epic proportions. They bought four houses, splurged on flashy vehicles, and sent nearly 4 million AUD to a Malaysian bank account. Talk about a spending spree!

Living Large Until Reality Hits

Among their extravagant purchases was a five-bedroom gem in Craigieburn, clocking in at 1.35 million AUD. Unfortunately, a judge threw a wrench in their plans by ordering that the house be sold to replenish the coffers. Imagine the couple’s disbelief as they watched their dream home, which they probably emblazoned with “money literally made us do this,” get sold off like a yard sale find!

Diversity in Defense: “It was a Prize!”

Fast-forward to October 2022: The couple tried to channel their inner lottery winners, arguing in court that they thought they had won a reward from the exchange. Singh claimed he’d received buzz about a competition from the crypto platform—the only problem being that the compliance officer had a hearty laugh and promptly debunked that theory, stating that no such competition existed. Well, someone’s dreams got a rude awakening!

Consequences and Community Service

As of September 2023, Manivel decided to plead guilty to recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime. She scored an 18-month community corrections order, including six months of intensive compliance and unpaid community service. She also spent around 209 days in custody—definitely not the luxury vacation they had in mind. Meanwhile, Singh is gearing up for his plea trial set for October 23. Stay tuned, folks—this saga is far from over!