Thevamanogari Manivel, a 41-year-old Malaysian residing in Melbourne, has admitted to recklessly handling the proceeds of a banking error that saw crypto.com mistakenly deposit $10.5 million into her Commonwealth Bank account instead of a $100 refund.
Manivel indulged in a spending spree
Manivel and her partner indulged in a spending spree, acquiring multiple houses, luxury items, and even paying off a friend’s mortgage.
The blunder was only discovered by the crypto company during a late December 2021 audit, months after the error occurred in May of the same year.
Despite attempts by the Commonwealth Bank to contact Manivel, she dismissed the messages as scam calls.
It was revealed that she transferred substantial amounts to overseas accounts before being arrested while trying to flee to Malaysia with $11,750.
While she has since returned a significant portion of the money and settled with the crypto company, Manivel is now facing legal consequences.
Her sentencing is scheduled for September. Her former partner, Jatinder Singh, will appear in court next week on unrelated charges.
