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Man considered $175,000 bank error 'a gift from God'

Associated Press

Published January 22, 2009 at 7:54 a.m.
Updated January 22, 2009 at 7:54 a.m.

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BLOOMSBURG, Pa. — A Pennsylvania man says he considered it divine providence when a bank error put more than $175,000 in his and his wife's account.

Fifty-year-old Randy Pratt and 36-year-old Melissa Pratt face trial in Columbia County Court on felony theft and conspiracy charges. They waived a preliminary hearing Wednesday.

The trouble started when a $1,772.50 deposit to the Pratts' FNB Bank account showed up as $177,250 last summer. Police say that instead of telling the bank, they withdrew the money, quit their jobs and moved to Florida.

Randy Pratt tells the Bloomsburg Press Enterprise he did attempt to ask the bank what happened, but was ignored. He said he considered the money "a gift from God." He says the couple gave away thousands of dollars, including $25,000 to a Florida church shelter for the homeless.

Randy Pratt is in county prison. A judge denied a request to lower his $100,000 bail. Melissa Pratt, who told the court she is estranged from her husband, is free on unsecured bail.

Comments

  • January 22, 2009

    8:30 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    c3swanso writes:

    County prison? I think they refer to county correctional facilities as county jails.

  • January 22, 2009

    8:33 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Chadley25 writes:

    "A gift from God"... nice.

    And that, folks, is modern-day Christianity in a nutshell: As long as it's convenient and beneficial to me, I'll practice it.

  • January 22, 2009

    8:38 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    toocool writes:

    Didn't Melissa help spend the booty?

  • January 22, 2009

    9:06 a.m.

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    Oh_Wise_One writes:

    And Chadley25, folks, is modern-day Liberalism in a nutshell. Simple minded and stereotyping all in one broad post. Nice.

  • January 22, 2009

    9:07 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    vendari01 writes:

    It was a test from God; he flunked, and will now serve a detention. Nasty study hall.

  • January 22, 2009

    9:07 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    tjpatriot writes:

    He should've transferred it to an interest bearing account (if it wasn't already in one) within the same bank, then just let it ride. He would've probably got to keep the interest when they found the error.

    And Chandly - your perception of Christianity displays a stunning level on ignorance. Perhaps you should try going a church once or twice and listening before professing such expertise.

  • January 22, 2009

    9:11 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    davies writes:

    ...or maybe it was a gift from Satan, as it turns out.

  • January 22, 2009

    9:12 a.m.

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    B300 writes:

    Shoot why cant he get away with it. I mean really, government officals, bank owners, lawyers, and wall street investors all do it. He is thinking why not him?

  • January 22, 2009

    9:22 a.m.

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    stumanchu writes:

    If you recieve something in the mail you did'nt order, it's yours. If you recieve "pennies from heaven" from the bank computer, give it back!

  • January 22, 2009

    9:39 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    theairdog writes:

    So then, what does that make the Criminal Charges a gift from?

  • January 22, 2009

    9:42 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jersey writes:

    Just goes to prove once again you can spin doctor anything you wish to and not lose a wink of sleep. Not that it matters but I'm just curious if his alleged benevolence with the $$$$ can be substanciated?

  • January 22, 2009

    10:16 a.m.

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    ThingFish writes:

    "And that, folks, is modern-day Christianity in a nutshell:"

    A True Christian® would have filtered this money through their church to avoid paying taxes.

  • January 22, 2009

    10:19 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    sundowner writes:

    Man locked up, woman always gets out
    on no bond.

  • January 22, 2009

    10:23 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    sundowner writes:

    Melissa went to FL with him.

  • January 22, 2009

    10:25 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    IRUNMAN writes:

    LOL ThingFish!!

  • January 22, 2009

    10:30 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    fmikey writes:

    Isn't it interesting that the man is in jail, and the woman is out, unsecured? Is there any more evidence of the double standard in our court system? Did she not know of the "gift" and move with him to Florida? Is she not complicit?
    What is it with our courts? This type of thing is seen regularly. Women are just as capable of criminal acts as men, as we also see regularly. However, as we know, the femmes always try to cast women as victims, no matter what they do. What a crock...

  • January 22, 2009

    10:31 a.m.

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    ou8one2 writes:

    Should have bumped it up to $175 million and called it a bail out. Then he would not be in trouble at all.

  • January 22, 2009

    10:35 a.m.

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    The_Punnisher writes:

    A smart person would have turned it over to a legal prostitute & offshored it.

    Then the bank would have to play on a level playing field....

    $175K is pennies these days. A LIAR wants much more, though..

  • January 22, 2009

    10:36 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    TheRundown writes:

    Chadley25 writes:
    "A gift from God"... nice.

    And that, folks, is modern-day Christianity in a nutshell: As long as it's convenient and beneficial to me, I'll practice it.

    What an ignorant statement. As much as there is perceived hate from the Christian community, there is just as much coming from people like you

  • January 22, 2009

    10:53 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    J_Phil writes:

    This happened to me once. I was about 19, in college, broke as can be and all of the sudden about $600 showed up in my account. I spent every last dime, then a couple weeks later wondered why I was overdrawn...

    Looking back, I was foolish for thinking that maybe the money would fall through the cracks and no one would come looking for it... So I can't begin to understand what made that guy think he could get away with $170k without someone coming looking for it...

    However, I think banks should bear some responsibility for these errors. I'm not saying they should have to pay this guy $170,000 because some teller hit the zero key one too many times... But they shouldn't get off scott-free for creating these giant headaches. They ought to forfeit a 5% error fee, or something along those lines.

  • January 22, 2009

    11:03 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    NotUrFriend writes:

    Chadley25 writes:

    "A gift from God"... nice.

    And that, folks, is modern-day Christianity in a nutshell: As long as it's convenient and beneficial to me, I'll practice it.

    Chadley effectively displays modern liberilism. No rich history what so ever, merely a man born one day, lived this day, and dies tomorrow. Nothing more and nothing less.

    Clean, neat, and short.

    I.

  • January 22, 2009

    11:07 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    bgco writes:

    If it is too good to be true, then it is..................

  • January 22, 2009

    11:25 a.m.

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    NotUrFriend writes:

    bgco,

    a'men to that brother.

    I.

  • January 22, 2009

    11:30 a.m.

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    LadyBird112 writes:

    Chadley, you're thinking of the fake "Christians." Real ones would have returned it.

  • January 22, 2009

    11:33 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Bucketman writes:

    What a dummy!
    I mean, if he hadn't spent it all of the money , he would have had enough to make bail! Jeesh... :)

    Maybe he should call Bernard Maddoff to find out how to get out of jail. Maybe he just didn't steal enough money?? I guess it needs to be in the billions before the judge actually feels sorry enough for the poor old soul.

  • January 22, 2009

    11:44 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    NeilT writes:

    bgco writes: "If it is too good to be true, then it is.................."

    NotUrFriend writes: "bgco, a'men to that brother."

    Heaven?

  • January 22, 2009

    12:15 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    NotUrFriend writes:

    Neil,

    LOL. We're referring merely to mortal, material things here. Spiritually speaking..........Well...Let's not open that can of worms now ;)

    I.

  • January 22, 2009

    12:16 p.m.

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    stumanchu writes:

    Why make the bank pay anything? 5% of 175,000 is 8,750 by the way.

  • January 22, 2009

    12:25 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    NeilT writes:

    I agree, NotUrFriend.

    I suppose "Heaven" is more believable than a wrinkly old dude coming home to 72 virgins...

  • January 22, 2009

    4:06 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HankReardon writes:

    Now...
    Would this incident help to confirm or deny the existance of a god?