The woman who bought a multi-million-dollar mansion after $10.4 million was mistakenly transferred into her account now faces 20 years.
Thevamanogari Manivel, from Melbourne, was originally set to receive a $100 return from cryptocurrency exchange platform Crypto.com in May last year.
But after receiving a whopping $10.4m instead by mistake, she allegedly went on a massive spending spree, dishing out the cash to a number of friends and family members, including her daughter and her sister, Thilagavathy Gangadory.
She even splashed out on a $1.35 million (£800k) mansion for Gangadory, featuring four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a home gym and cinema.
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Seven months into their new lavish lifestyle, however, a routine audit from Crypto.com – which features Matt Damon in its advertising – unearthed what had happened.
After the company began legal proceedings in February this year, in August, the Victorian Supreme Court ruled in favour of Crypto.com by default after Gangadory and her legal team failed to show up.
Justice James Dudley Elliott ordered Manivel's sister to pay back the full cost of the house, plus interest, to the tune of $1.35 million plus $27,369 (£16,130).
Now, as the Herald Sun reports, 40-year-old Gangadory faces two charges after being involved in another legal crime, which the outlet lists as ‘dealing with $10,474,143 in cash that was proceeds of crime at Narre Warren in May 2021, and dealing with $11,750 that was suspected of being proceeds of crime in Tullamarine in March this year’.
According to the Daily Mail, the two charges that Manivel faces carry maximum penalties in Victoria of 20 years a piece.
The Melbourne Magistrates’ Court heard last week that Manivel told police that her partner and co-accused, Jatinder Singh, had rightfully won the money, with her lawyer Jessica Willard saying: “The issue in relation to Ms Manivel is the dishonesty element whether she knew the money was stolen or not.”
The court gave permission for Manivel’s lawyers to cross examine a representative for Commonwealth Bank about its investigation, while leave was granted to cross examine the police informant.
After Manivel made no application for bail, she was remanded in jail to return to court alongside Singh for a committal on 11 October.
As for the rest of the missing cash, separate cases have been made against other defendants involved.
Since these are ongoing, Crypto.com's legal team Cornwalls Law had previously told the Daily Mail that they were unable to comment right now.
UNILAD have reached out to Crypto.com's legal team for further comment.
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Topics: Australia, Cryptocurrency, World News
Jess Hardiman