Big Bank Error: Woman Goes On Lavish Shopping Spree After Bank Mistakenly Credits $88K To Her Account


Micheala Hutchings received a large sum of money most people could only dream of — a whopping $88,000. However, her “good fortune” has turned into a complete nightmare due to how she acquired it.

According to the New York Daily News, the massive lump sum was the result of bank error. The incident took place sometime in April of 2013 when the 23-year-old British woman discovered that the funds had been credited to her bank account. Then to add insult to injury, the funds were available for immediate use.

The money was actually supposed to be paid to a local housing authority. Unfortunately, the Lichfield Council District dropped the massive amount into Hutchings’ bank account. Once she discovered the deposit had been made to her account, she immediately began spending. Needless to say she spared absolutely no expense!

Hutchings reportedly spent more than an estimated $8,000 on high-end handbags, sunglasses, and shoes from designers like Gucci and Louis Vuitton. Metro UK also report that the single mom moved an estimated $68,000 to a savings account and gave her own mom approximately $1,700 in cash.

However, Hutchings lavish dream quickly came to an end when the Luchfield Council District discovered the massive mix-up. Chrisopher Spruce of the Lichfield Council released a brief statement in reference to the big banking error. He also explained that security measures are currently being implemented to ensure such errors do not happen again.

“Last April, due to a contractor’s clerical error, $88,000 was transferred to a benefits claimant, rather than to one of our housing association partners. We are working with the police to recover the wrongly transferred funds,” Spruce explained. “We are also working closely with our partners to put additional checks into our systems to ensure a similar payment error cannot happen again in the future.”

On Wednesday, June 25, BBC News reported that Hutchings has been ordered to pay back the full amount that was credited to her account. Of course, she no longer has the amount of money she’s been ordered to repay, due to extravagant spending.

Hutchings was sentenced by the Stafford Crown Court to 12 months of community service and 150 hours of unpaid work. She has also been ordered to repay the full $88,000 with interest within six months. If the ordered amount has not been repaid by Christmas Eve, she will face 20 months in jail.

She also released a statement sharing her perspective of the entire debacle. Although she admits she was wrong, she has asked people to put themselves in her shoes. “All this is my fault and I feel so sorry. I put my family in a position where they are being looked down on by everyone. I’m sorry but before you judge me put yourself in my shoes.”

If you were in Hutchings position, would you have spent the money or notified the bank?

[Image via Bing]

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