Earlier this year, digital asset exchange CryptoCom commenced a legal battle against a Melbourne woman, Thevamanogari Manivel, for failing to return the $10.5 million that was mistakenly sent to her during a $100 refund process.
The firm wants the woman to give back the funds, but she has already spent a significant portion of the money to fund her luxurious lifestyle.
A $10.5M Contest
Manivel has now pleaded not guilty to all charges levied against her by CryptoCom. She claimed that her partner Jatinder Singh told her he had won $10.5 million from a CryptoCom competition after performing a transaction.
A recent court hearing revealed that the CryptoCom account was registered in Singh’s name, but he used Manivel’s bank card to purchase the crypto. As a result, the exchange transferred the refund to Manivel’s Commonwealth Bank account.
As reported earlier, the exchange was supposed to return $100 but mistakenly sent $10.5 million to Manivel’s account in May 2021. However, they did not discover the mistake until December.
After becoming an overnight millionaire, Manivel transferred the funds to different accounts, and by February 2022, she purchased a luxury five-bedroom house worth $1.35 million in Craigieburn, Melbourne. She also moved $4M to a Malaysian account and used the rest for vehicles, art, gifts, and furniture.
At the hearing, Singh claimed he received a notification from the CryptoCom app about a competition winning, hence his failure to return the funds. However, the company’s representative Michi Chan Fores said no notifications were released about any contest.
Manivel and Her Partner Plead Not Guilty
Singh pleaded not guilty to several charges, including theft for withdrawing funds from the Commonwealth bank.
Manivel, on the other hand, pleaded not guilty to three charges, including theft from the bank for withdrawing the money and carelessly spending criminal proceeds. She also pleaded not guilty to a charge against her for trying to flee the country after CryptoCom approached her.
Manivel was apprehended in March at the Melbourne airport on her way to Malaysia with $11,000 in cash.
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