"School counselor gets millions after typo
Woman jailed for allegedly using state funds for cars, jewelry, investments

MINNEAPOLIS - An errant computer keystroke led the state to accidentally issue a $2.5 million check to a school counselor — who spent thousands on cars, jewelry and electronics, prosecutors said.

Sabrina Walker, 37, was charged Tuesday with theft by swindle and concealing the proceeds of a crime. She remained in jail Wednesday in lieu of $200,000 bail.

The state's accounting system was handling money for the Department of Human Services that was intended for the Hennepin County Medical Center when the check was issued to Walker by mistake in March."

Read more at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18947150?GT1=9951


:rolleyes:

While this specific incident is not common, there are many other incidents out there to showcase the incompetence of governments. Governments nowdays are just too big and to disorganized to handle information properly. Too much bureaucracy and terrible information systems makes governments nearly a menace to our societies. :bugeye:

"School counselor gets millions after typo
Woman jailed for allegedly using state funds for cars, jewelry, investments

MINNEAPOLIS - An errant computer keystroke led the state to accidentally issue a $2.5 million check to a school counselor — who spent thousands on cars, jewelry and electronics, prosecutors said.

Sabrina Walker, 37, was charged Tuesday with theft by swindle and concealing the proceeds of a crime. She remained in jail Wednesday in lieu of $200,000 bail.

The state's accounting system was handling money for the Department of Human Services that was intended for the Hennepin County Medical Center when the check was issued to Walker by mistake in March."

Read more at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18947150?GT1=9951


:rolleyes:

While this specific incident is not common, there are many other incidents out there to showcase the incompetence of governments. Governments nowdays are just too big and to disorganized to handle information properly. Too much bureaucracy and terrible information systems makes governments nearly a menace to our societies. :bugeye:

Sure, they made a MAJOR blunder - but you don't seem concerned at all about the fact that the woman took the money and started spending it. Why is that?

You obviously didn't understand the article.

She spent nothing. The expenses are from someone else. It's sort of like an ID theft situation.

Bureaucracy, amplified by computers, makes such mistakes wherever it is found - General Motors, anywhere.

You obviously didn't understand the article.

She spent nothing. The expenses are from someone else. It's sort of like an ID theft situation.

Bought NOTHING??? You obviously didn't understand the article you linked to. It said, and I quote:

"Walker, along with a man she lived with, allegedly bought a $500,000 certificate of deposit, funded two retirement accounts, bought a $500,000 Treasury bond, spent $5,500 on jewelry, $3,817 at Best Buy and $2,069 on limousine services, according to the criminal complaint.

Walker also allegedly bought two cars, called the state to report the check, then bought two more cars, prosecutors said.



Somehow you can call all that "buying nothing"????????????

Somehow you can call all that "buying nothing"????????????

TruthSeeker, as his name implies, seeks the truth by closing one eye and poking a sharp stick into the other before he reads anything!!!

Maybe he should change his name, huh? Say, "Truth-Fucker-Upper" or "Truth-From-Outer-Limits"?

Baron Max

This thread is about government incompetence. I guess neither of you think that was utterly incompetent from the part of the government? :rolleyes:

This thread is about government incompetence. I guess neither of you think that was utterly incompetent from the part of the government? :rolleyes:

Quit trying to be be cute - you saw my very first response where I said they made a MAJOR blunder!

And quit trying to sidestep - WHERE is your justification for claiming she spent nothing?????? What's the matter - not man enough to admit you made a stupid mistake??? :bugeye:

Well yeah governments are bang out of order.

they make a mistake, and at most you get an apology, but if you make a mistake with say your tax return, then all hell break lose!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~
take it ez
zak

Quit trying to be be cute - you saw my very first response where I said they made a MAJOR blunder!
Awwwww.... thank you! I know I'm handsome...! :D

And quit trying to sidestep - WHERE is your justification for claiming she spent nothing?????? What's the matter - not man enough to admit you made a stupid mistake??? :bugeye:
I know I'm cute. :D

Well yeah governments are bang out of order.

they make a mistake, and at most you get an apology, but if you make a mistake with say your tax return, then all hell break lose!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~
take it ez
zak
Exactly! LOL! :D

:mad:

:bugeye:

Awwwww.... thank you! I know I'm handsome...! :D


I know I'm cute. :D

Right, just what I expected - absolutely NO personal integrity at all. A kid of five is MUCH more honest than you are, at least they can say, "sorry, I made a mistake."

What are you talking about? I didn't make a mistake! I'm invincible! All wise! All knowing! I'm... i'm... TRUTHSEEKER! :eek:

LOL!
:D

:roflmao:

*whispering* Can anyone clue in Read-Only? Tell him I'm fucking up with his miiiind....*whispering*


:D

*whispering* Can anyone clue in Read-Only? Tell him I'm fucking up with his miiiind....*whispering*


:D

Yeah, I figured that out myself. Just a usless joker rather than contributing anything useful. A waste.

Yeah, I figured that out myself. Just a usless joker rather than contributing anything useful. A waste.
Welcome to sciforums! :D

Welcome to sciforums! :D

Now THAT'S very true! For ever ounce of real information here there's TONS and TONS of pure garbage. I will now give you credit for finally having made one truthful statement.

:roflmao:

This thread is about government incompetence. I guess neither of you think that was utterly incompetent from the part of the government? :rolleyes:

Perhaps there's a degree of incompetence. But government is an entity of the people, and people are imperfect in their creations. The true crime here is that this woman OBVIOUSLY knew that this money was not intended for her, and spent it any way.

Would it be impolitic of me to question her upbringing?

(Note to TruthSeeker: you can create a thread for whatever purpose you want; but once posted, you can't regulate the nature of the ensuing debate. For you the debate may be government incompetence, but for others the real story might be this bitch's immorality)

~String

Perhaps there's a degree of incompetence. But government is an entity of the people, and people are imperfect in their creations. The true crime here is that this woman OBVIOUSLY knew that this money was not intended for her, and spent it any way.

Would it be impolitic of me to question her upbringing?

(Note to TruthSeeker: you can create a thread for whatever purpose you want; but once posted, you can't regulate the nature of the ensuing debate. For you the debate may be government incompetence, but for others the real story might be this bitch's immorality)

~String

Agreed and well said!!!

Governments nowdays are just too big and to disorganized to handle information properly. Too much bureaucracy and terrible information systems makes governments nearly a menace to our societies. I do agree with you somewhat. A smaller government would be much more efficient, and this mistake might be less likely to happen. It wasn't necessarily even incompetence. It was simply an accident. Wherever humans are involved, there is the potential for mistakes.

The woman should certainly have realized this error, and checked before she went on her spending spree. I think she should definitely be held accountable for something, or at least have to repay the money.

On the other hand, if it was given to her, it was given to her. This type of lawsuit opens up the possibility for future reneging with money. What's to stop the government (or anyone, for that matter) from saying "oh, that was a mistake, I want my money back." Though I guess in this case it's a bit obvious.

Would it be impolitic of me to question her upbringing? Not only for character, but prudence. WTF did she think would happen?

But we could imagine she were a bit smarter about things, and conjure up a less morally obvious situation: Say she uses the money to purchase a safe but interest-bearing financial widget, and informs the authorities of the error of their check-writing ways. She then, having secured the money from possible misuse and clearly indicated her intention of refunding the total on demand, collects interest on the widget while the government processes its paperwork.

Can she keep the interest, in good conscience ? By law ?