A couple sent $10.5M by Crypto.com claim they thought they won a prize

The Melbourne pair claims in court that they believed they had won the money when they contributed nearly $6.6 million, or 10.5 million Australian dollars, on Crypto.com in 2021.

The vamanogari Manivel and her husband, Jatinder Singh, are currently being tried in the Victoria Supreme Court on allegations of theft and other offenses related to allegedly using Crypto.com’s cash for personal expenses last year.

Manivel received $10.47m when Crypto.com meant to reimburse her $100 in May 2021 instead. The corporation did not discover the error until a December audit.

According to Michi Chan Fores, a compliance officer for Crypto.com, a worker in Bulgaria who processed the refund had inserted the incorrect figures into an Excel spreadsheet.

She said that after being processed, the refund request was forwarded to an Australian payment processor, who then deposited the funds into Manivel’s Commonwealth Bank account.

Singh owned the Crypto.com account, but the court heard that the transfer may have gone to her account because he used Manivel’s debit card to purchase cryptocurrency.

On October 11, Manivel and Singh appeared via video link in Melbourne magistrates court and entered not-guilty pleas for each charge. Singh’s case was that he believed he had won a contest from Crypto.com and had informed his wife of this.

Singh alleges he mistakenly believed he had won the cash since the business had already notified him of a contest. Fores, however, refuted the existence of such a contest and said that Crypto.com did not inform users of contest winners by email.

Their allegations differ slightly in that Manivel is accused of stealing after taking money from her Commonwealth bank account and is also charged with handling stolen property carelessly and attempting to exit the country.

Manivel was detained in March at Melbourne’s airport after it was claimed that she was attempting to go home to Malaysia with about 11,000 Australian dollars.

In the most recent hearing, she was granted bail with tight terms, including giving up her passport and being unable to attend any points of departure.

Singh is accused of stealing money from Crypto.com by taking it out of the bank. Manivel and Singh will attend directions hearing in the county court on November 8.

A spending spree

According to a police officer testifying in court, the money was allegedly used to purchase four homes, automobiles, gifts for family members, artwork, and some furniture. In addition, 4 million AUD was paid to a Malaysian bank account.

A 1.35 million AUD five-bedroom mansion in Craigieburn was one of their four homes, and the Victoria Supreme Court quickly ruled that it be auctioned and the proceeds sent back to Crypto.com.