Back in 1993, the manager of the Vienna-based branch of Erste Bank fell on hard times, so he decided to rob the bank himself. Now, after two almost decades and a little bit of jail time, he's getting a significant portion of the money he stole back. Otto Neuman staged a fake bank robbery with the help of a few accomplices and took over $240,000 in cash, as well as an unspecified amount of gold coins and bars. The fact that he's getting any of that back is remarkable.
Neuman served three and a half years in prison after being apprehended, but almost two-thirds of the cash was already spent. The bank had already been compensated by its insurer for the loss, and the insurer was able to account for the difference through the recovered gold bars and coins because their value appreciated post-robbery.
The cash was held at the Justice Ministry until Neuman's attorney, Herbert Eichenseder, was contacted and told to have his client come by and pick it up. Apparently, there was "no victim anymore." So, the lesson here is, essentially, that crime pays over time.
[via Gawker]
