A Russian factory worker became an overnight millionaire after a payroll mix-up sent a fortune to his bank account — and now he’s refusing to give it back.
The $87,000 mistake
Vladimir Rychagov, an employee at the Severavtodor factory in Khanty-Mansiysk, western Russia, was expecting to receive about $440 in vacation pay. But when he checked his account, he was stunned to see seven million rubles — around $87,000 USD — had been deposited instead.
The windfall turned out to be a massive clerical error. His employer had accidentally transferred the combined salaries of 34 workers from another branch to Vladimir’s account due to a software glitch.
When the accounting department realized the mistake, they quickly called him to request the money back. But Vladimir wasn’t ready to part with his newfound fortune so easily.
“I checked the internet — and decided I could keep it”
According to local reports, Vladimir initially thought the extra money was part of a rumored New Year’s bonus. After discovering it was an error, he researched online and concluded that if the payment was a technical mistake rather than a billing one, he was entitled to keep it.
He told Russian TV outlet Channel 5:
“After checking the internet, I found that if it was a technical error, it was up to me to return it, but if it was a billing error, I was obligated to return it. Later, I learned it was a technical error and decided I had the right to keep the money.”
From payday to getaway
When his employer’s requests turned into threats, Vladimir decided to spend some of the money. Reports say he bought a new car, changed his phone number, and moved to a new city with his family, fearing for their safety.
The company soon filed a police complaint, accusing him of conspiring with an accountant to commit fraud. His accounts were frozen during the investigation, but authorities later found no evidence of wrongdoing.
Despite the legal drama, courts initially sided with the employer — ordering him to repay the money, as it wasn’t considered part of his salary. However, Vladimir has now appealed to Russia’s Supreme Court, insisting the payment was legitimate.
What happens next
While the final ruling is still pending, Vladimir remains firm: he won’t return the cash. His employer’s acting CEO, Roman Tudachkov, confirmed they’re pursuing the matter legally.
“There was no bonus involved; it was an erroneous transfer. We have a court order and are acting through our legal department.”
For now, Vladimir’s unexpected windfall — and defiance — has turned him into something of a folk hero online, as people debate whether he should keep the money or hand it back.
