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Unexpected Million-Dollar Deposit Transforms Driver’s Routine Into National Case and Sparks Legal Dispute After Immediate Return of Funds.
Finding a fortune when opening a bank app usually appears only in fiction.
For driver Antônio Pereira do Nascimento, however, the surprise was real: a deposit of over R$ 131 million suddenly appeared in his account and, in a few hours, turned an ordinary routine into an unlikely banking plot.
Even so, despite returning the amount immediately, he reported facing unexpected charges and losses.
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According to a report published by TV Anhanguera, released last Friday (28th), Antônio realized that the millionaire amount had no relation to his financial life and sought the bank to regularize the situation.
The amount had been mistakenly transferred by Bradesco, where he has been a customer for about 25 years.
The driver authorized the immediate return of the total, quickly ending the episode that could have seemed like a stroke of luck, but ended up becoming a prolonged headache.
Million-Dollar Deposit by Mistake: How the Amount Ended Up in the Account
In an interview with TV Anhanguera, he reported that the deposit, which exceeded R$ 131.8 million, had entered another bank’s account.
Upon receiving the sudden balance, that institution had reclassified his account as “VIP” due to the unusual activity.
After that, new fees emerged that he hadn’t paid before.
According to the television report, the monthly fee, which was around R$ 36, had risen to approximately R$ 70.
Antônio expressed his indignation with the unexpected change.
In his words, recorded by the broadcaster, he questioned: “The money wasn’t mine. Did I not return it to you? And you still put me on the most expensive plan.”
Although he approached the episode with humor in several interviews, he emphasized that he had never dealt with amounts that came close to that total.
He often says that amounts like that would only appear in his life “if he won the Mega-Sena,” although he doesn’t even have the habit of playing the lottery.
According to TV Anhanguera, the amount mistakenly deposited belonged to the bank itself and not to a specific client.
Antônio’s defense reinforces that the account was reclassified immediately, but states that the fees were only revised later when he had already incurred charges that he considers unfair.
Fees, Losses, and Repercussions After Returning the Funds
The impasse led the driver to seek judicial support. The action he filed is in the 6th Civil Court of Palmas and was filed in July 2024.
In the proceedings, Antônio requests 10% of the amount that was wrongfully credited to his account, roughly R$ 13 million, as well as compensation for moral damages.
The defense uses Article 1,234 of the Civil Code as a basis, which provides for a reward for those who return found property, with a percentage no less than 5%.
In February 2025, a conciliation hearing took place, but there was no agreement between the parties.
The lawyers inform that witnesses have already been named and that the case awaits the evidentiary hearing, which does not yet have a set date.
So far, according to the broadcaster that revealed the new developments last Friday (28th), the bank has not submitted a settlement proposal.
The repercussions of the case have gone beyond the legal realm. Shortly after the mistaken deposit, the story gained traction in various media outlets and reached the entertainment sector.
Who Is the Driver Who Became a National Highlight
In August 2023, Antônio participated in the segment Believe in Whoever You Want, on the Domingão program on TV Globo, where characters share curious stories for participants to guess who is telling the truth.
Behind the national curiosity, the episode opened discussions about banking responsibility and transparency in operational errors.
Brazilian legislation dictates that wrongfully credited amounts must be returned, but it also provides for reward mechanisms in specific situations.
Experts emphasize that account reclassifications or fee charges can only occur with clear consent from the customer, a point that helps explain the dispute now dragging through the courts.
While the case proceeds, the driver continues working in Palmas and living with the impact of an error that lasted a short time in the statement but much longer in real life.
And you, when faced with a million-dollar deposit that appeared without explanation, what would you do before contacting the bank?
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