Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Jesus Malverde

(10,274 posts)
Wed Dec 25, 2013, 11:16 AM Dec 2013

Las Vegas cab driver Gerardo Gamboa finds $US300,000 in cash on back seat

Last edited Wed Dec 25, 2013, 12:25 PM - Edit history (1)

LAS Vegas cab driver Gerardo Gamboa thought someone left a bag of chocolates in the back seat. But this stash turned out to be cold hard cash.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Mr Gamboa was making a pick up on Monday at the Bellagio hotel and casino when a hotel doorman noticed the brown paper bag and handed it to him.

At a red light, the Checker Cab driver's curiosity got the best of him. To his surprise, he found six bundles of $US100 bills totaling $US300,000 ($336,000).

The newspaper reports that Mr Gamboa called his dispatcher and took the money to the company's main office.

http://www.news.com.au/finance/money/las-vegas-cab-driver-gerardo-gamboa-finds-us300000-in-cash-on-back-seat/story-e6frfmci-1226789808823

“Even though I am a poor guy, I don’t need money that doesn’t belong to me,” said Gamboa, a 27-year resident of Las Vegas.

11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Las Vegas cab driver Gerardo Gamboa finds $US300,000 in cash on back seat (Original Post) Jesus Malverde Dec 2013 OP
Finders keepers .... dumbcat Dec 2013 #1
Finding $300,000 in cash in a brown paper bag in Vegas? I'd turn it in, too! htuttle Dec 2013 #2
I'm disappointed that the driver's name appeared in print Cirque du So-What Dec 2013 #5
They found the owner...an unnamed very careless poker player...nt Jesus Malverde Dec 2013 #6
Good Cirque du So-What Dec 2013 #7
a likely story unblock Dec 2013 #8
From the link Jesus Malverde Dec 2013 #10
Been wondering where I left that! jberryhill Dec 2013 #3
And we have our thread winner. Brigid Dec 2013 #4
GREAT movie: Night of the Running Man.. PCIntern Dec 2013 #9
Gambler rewards man who returned $300K left in cab Jesus Malverde Dec 2013 #11

htuttle

(23,738 posts)
2. Finding $300,000 in cash in a brown paper bag in Vegas? I'd turn it in, too!
Wed Dec 25, 2013, 11:28 AM
Dec 2013

I wouldn't want my life to turn into a Coen brother's movie...

Cirque du So-What

(25,971 posts)
5. I'm disappointed that the driver's name appeared in print
Wed Dec 25, 2013, 11:49 AM
Dec 2013

Considering the possibilities where that money came from, it's not out of the question that its 'owners' might be looking for retribution against the cabbie who gave it away.

Jesus Malverde

(10,274 posts)
10. From the link
Wed Dec 25, 2013, 12:25 PM
Dec 2013

“My God, this is cash money,” said Gamboa, a Checker Cab driver for 13 years.

Gamboa immediately notified his dispatcher and drove the money to Yellow Checker Star Transportation’s main office after dropping off the passenger.

It then took some detective work — literally, as Las Vegas police were called in — to discover the rightful owner.

During the morning, Gamboa remembered driving a passenger from The Cosmopolitan to the Palms Place tower, receiving a $5 tip. He then headed to the Bellagio to get into the cab line, not noticing the paper bag in the back seat until the doorman pointed it out around 11:45 a.m.

One person showed up at Yellow Checker Star to claim the money without identification and was not the name to whom The Cosmopolitan, just south of the Bellagio, recently had recorded a $300,000 payout.

Not wanting to hand over the money under murky circumstances, cab company officials called police for help.

Casino officials and police eventually linked the money to a prominent poker player they wouldn’t publicly identify.

Even after solving the mystery, the people involved were amazed by the find.



“Even though I am a poor guy, I don’t need money that doesn’t belong to me,” said Gamboa, a 27-year resident of Las Vegas.

Jesus Malverde

(10,274 posts)
11. Gambler rewards man who returned $300K left in cab
Fri Dec 27, 2013, 07:06 PM
Dec 2013

A poker player who left $300,000 in the back seat of a Las Vegas taxi made good on his promise this week, handing over a $10,000 reward to the honest cabbie who returned the stash.

Yellow Checker Star Cab Company CEO Bill Shranko confirmed Friday that Gerardo Gamboa had been paid by the poker player. The cab company also honored the driver's good deed by naming him employee of the year, awarding him $1,000 and giving him a gift certificate to a Las Vegas steakhouse.

It's unclear how Gamboa plans to spend the belated Christmas gift. He did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press on Friday.

The tale, first reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, started Monday when Gamboa made a pickup at the Bellagio casino. A hotel doorman noticed a brown paper bag on the back seat and handed it to him; Gamboa thought it was candy.

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Gambler-rewards-man-who-returned-300K-left-in-cab-5096550.php

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Las Vegas cab driver Gera...