• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • First Impressions - The Game
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Student given $3 million dollars in bank account by mistake goes on incredible shopping spree

Home> Community

Updated 21:50 18 Sep 2023 GMT+1Published 21:21 18 Sep 2023 GMT+1

Student given $3 million dollars in bank account by mistake goes on incredible shopping spree

Sounds like any student's dream, right?

Ben Thompson

Ben Thompson

It sounds like a scenario that's too good to be true.

Millions of dollars deposited in your bank account without you having to lift a finger or break a sweat working.

So beautiful a thought it could bring a tear to your eye, right?

Advert

And of course, if such a miraculous event should ever happen to you, you might feel tempted to splash a bit of cash.

But be warned - such spending won't come without a price.

A woman was once charged with fraud after she went on a shopping spree with $3 million ($4.6m AUD/£2.4m) a bank had given her by mistake.

A woman was once charged with fraud after she went on a shopping spree with the money a bank had given her by mistake.
Getty/Boy_Anupong

In 2016, Christine Jiaxin Lee, 21, was arrested at Sydney Airport and appeared in Waverley Local Court the following day.

Advert

She was trying to board a flight to Malaysia using an emergency Malaysian passport, the court heard.

According to the prosecution, $4.6 million AUD ($3m/£2.4m) was accidentally sent to Lee through an overdraft facility, mistakenly attached to a Westpac savings account.

It alleged that $3.3 million AUD had not been recovered and was spent on luxury goods.

In addition to a charge of obtaining financial advantage by deception, she was also charged with knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime.

According to Magistrate Lisa Stapleton, this second charge was harder to prove.

Advert

Stapleton said: "It's not proceeds of crime, it's money we all dream about."

The court heard how Lee had been living in Australia for the past five years and was due to start the fourth year of her university degree.

A warrant had been put out for her arrest in March that year and her Malaysian passport had been seized.

Lee was granted bail on the condition that she report to the police twice a day.

Christine Jiaxin Lee was arrested when trying to leave Australia.
Facebook

Advert

Sydney City Police Detective Inspector Sean Heaney urged members of the public who have found money in their accounts that should not be there not to spend the extra cash.

He said: "Speak to your financial institution, have the matter rectified, if you fall into the temptation of spending other people's money, you may be committing criminal offences.

"And it may be a matter of time before the police come knocking on your door.

"The money doesn't belong to you, you know that, don't go spending it, it's going to cause you some trouble with the police.

"It would be very tempting, a lot of people may succumb to that temptation.

Advert

"You should know what's in your account, if you realise there's something that doesn't belong to you, it will be identified, speak to them, do the right thing, get it cleared up as soon as possible."

According to the BBC, Australian prosecutors ended up dropping charges against Lee. Though they did not give a reason why.

So there you have it - crime doesn't pay.

Featured Image Credit: Facebook/Getty Stock Photo

Topics: Australia, Crime, Money

Ben Thompson
Ben Thompson

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

a day ago
2 days ago
  • a day ago

    Woman left spine chilling message about what she saw after being 'dead' for 27 minutes

    US woman Tina Hines had a creepy message for her family after being clinically dead for 27 minutes

    Community
  • a day ago

    Gen Z issues warning to anyone that uses ‘smiley face’ emoji which could have very different meaning

    Your friendly work emails might not be so friendly

    Community
  • 2 days ago

    Partner of man feared brain dead after food poisoning 'from £3 supermarket sandwich' issues urgent warning

    He suffered a stroke following a major outbreak that impacted UK supermarkets

    Community
  • 2 days ago

    Woman who quit smoking and began vaping to be healthier ‘left on her death bed’ one year later

    She was vaping '24/7' before being told she has to sleep sat up 'or die'

    Community
  • Satellite footage shows incredible transformation around house that owners refused to sell for £25 million
  • Boss who sent more than £290k to wrong bank account by mistake still hasn't got the money back
  • ATM receipt shows what a $100 million bank account balance looks like
  • Teen accidentally became multi-millionaire after finding £8.9 million in his bank account