A Chilean man who received a payment 300 times more than his normal salary has won a lawsuit that allowed him to keep the money. Although the employee was accused of theft, the court ruled that the act constituted “unauthorised collection” rather than theft.
Receives payment 300 times more
The employee worked as an assistant at Dan Consorcio Industrial de Alimentos de Chile. He received a monthly salary of around £386. In May 2022, his employer transferred £127,000 to his account by mistake, The Metro reports.
Court allows employee to keep the money
Officials at the company said that the employee initially promised to return the money but instead quit after three days. Following a three-year legal battle, the employee was given the permission to keep the money. During the court proceedings, the firm accused the employee of theft. The Santiago court, however, ruled that the act was not theft but rather “unauthorised collection” and decided that the case could not be pursued as a criminal offence.
Company to file annulment application
The company has stated that it will pursue every legal step, including filing an application for annulment, to seek a review of the decision. In a statement to Diario Financiero, the company said, “We will take all possible legal steps, particularly an application for annulment, to have the ruling reviewed.”