She was mistakenly transferred nearly $430,000, spent it within hours, and now faces legal action: “I thought it was just $430”
It happened in Argentina, and now the court is demanding a $180,000 fine from her and her family.
An administrative error by the provincial government of San Luis, in central Argentina, has triggered a legal scandal that has left a humble family from the town of Villa Mercedes in turmoil. Verónica Alejandra Acosta, who was expecting a transfer of just 8,000 Argentine pesos — less than $8 — as a child support payment, accidentally received over 510 million pesos, equivalent to nearly $430,000.
Instead of reporting the massive error, she spent most of the money within hours. She made 66 bank transfers to relatives and went on a shopping spree that included appliances, household goods, and a 2014 Ford Ka. “I thought it was 500,000 pesos (about $430), not millions,” Acosta said in her defense during an interview with La Opinión Austral.
In the same testimony, the accidental beneficiary stated that the money was spent solely on basic needs and to help her family. “I bought a refrigerator, two TVs, a fryer, a microwave, a water tank…” she explained. The rest was sent to relatives in 66 separate transfers, some up to half a million pesos (about $460), including 50,000 pesos ($46) to a sister in Formosa, in northern Argentina.
Charges and fines
Once the error was discovered, the government of San Luis filed a complaint. This led to a raid on Acosta’s home and her arrest, along with the arrest of five family members. All six were charged with alleged fraud against the public administration. The items purchased were confiscated by court order, according to La Opinión Austral.
Argentine authorities imposed fines on each of the six individuals — around $30,000 per person. In total, the fines amount to over $180,000, with just three business days to pay in order to avoid pre-trial detention. The family’s defense attorney called the measure “excessive and impossible to comply with.”
“This is not a network of scammers — these are humble people who were victims of a government mistake,” he said.
As the family awaits a court ruling and lives under the threat of imprisonment, the case has sparked debate in Argentina about the State’s responsibility for administrative errors and the proportionality of the judicial response.
“We’re not criminals,” Verónica insisted. “We just did what anyone in need would do, without knowing what was really happening.”
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