Charges dismissed over $60K found by remodelers

[Omaha Steve]

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20141231/us-hidden-cash-charges-dismissed-ab91ef40e2.html

Dec 31, 2:57 PM (ET)

WASHINGTON, Pa. (AP) — Four home remodelers no longer face criminal charges for spending $60,000 they found hidden inside a western Pennsylvania home.

The Washington Observer-Reporter reported ( http://bit.ly/1Hh42J6 ) Tuesday that theft and related charges were dismissed earlier this month.
A judge said the four were working as under-the-table laborers, fixing up an unoccupied house, when they found the money hidden in a second-floor dormer. The newest bills dated to the 1980s.

The men were working for a contractor who had bought the home from a dead man's estate. The men didn't report their find and split the cash. The contractor learned of the money and reported them to police.

The judge says that because the money's owner can't be readily identified, the four can't have the intent to deprive the owner of the cash.
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Information from: Observer-Reporter, http://www.observer-reporter.com

[lame54]

1. how the hell did they get caught...

why can't people keep their mouths shut

[chickenfairy]

2. never talk!

n/t

[NewDeal_Dem]

3. I bet that'll be appealed & the owner will eventually win. If the old owner was the one who

put it there, he has no claim; and the new owner bought the house and everything in it. I think most judges would say he owns the money, unfortunately.

Yet I'm glad these guys one since the cheapskate owner hired them under the table. He should get penalized for that, so maybe the $60K loss to 4 workers is just desserts.