In an unusual turn of events, a Hungarian man found himself unexpectedly wealthy when a payroll mishap led to him receiving a staggering 367 times more than his legitimate earnings. The incident transpired in Kaposvár, Hungary, involving an unnamed individual from Somogy County who had a brief stint at a local company during a trial period.
Initially slated to earn 92,549 forints, equivalent to approximately 238 euros ($260), for his time at the company, the man received an astonishing 92,549 euros instead. The error arose due to the man’s provision of an Austrian bank account, necessitating payment in euros. However, the mistake was not in the currency conversion, but in sending an amount far surpassing his rightful earnings.
Upon discovering the payroll blunder, the Hungarian company promptly reached out to the former employee, requesting the return of the surplus funds. The man, however, claimed he lacked access to the Austrian bank account and was unable to initiate the refund.
Subsequent investigations revealed a twist in the tale – the man had withdrawn approximately 15,500 euros in cash from the Austrian account through a southern Hungarian ATM, subsequently transferring the funds to another bank account.
Assisted by the Kaposvár District Prosecutor’s Office, the company managed to freeze the implicated Austrian bank account and coordinate the return of the misappropriated money. As of now, the firm has successfully reclaimed around 72,000 euros, with efforts ongoing to retrieve the entire overpayment.
The situation has led to legal repercussions for the individual involved, who now faces charges of unlawful appropriation. If convicted, he could potentially incur a substantial fine. This incident draws parallels to a similar case from the previous year, involving a Chilean man who evaded repayment after receiving a grossly inflated salary.
