Woman Finds $36,000 in Miami Beach, Reports It to Police

What would you do if you found a bagful of $36,000 in sweet green cash sitting alone in Miami Beach? Would you swipe it? Would you immediately treat yourself to a shopping spree on Lincoln Road? Would you turn it in but keep a few thousand as a finder's fee?If...

By Kyle Munzenrieder

April 23, 2013

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What would you do if you found a bagful of $36,000 in sweet green cash sitting alone in Miami Beach? Would you swipe it? Would you immediately treat yourself to a shopping spree on Lincoln Road? Would you turn it in but keep a few thousand as a finder's fee?

If those ideas sound good to you, well, sorry, you're morally inferior to Rachel Castillo.

Castillo works as a drink server at the Miami Beach Golf Course. January 20, customers alerted her to an unattended bag. She opened it to discover $36,000 in cash. That's close to what she makes in a year. But she also found the ID of a 76-year-old man.

According to WSVN, Castillo contacted Miami Beach police immediately to report the found cash. Police located the man, who resides in an assisted-living facility and might have a medical condition. They're still working on returning the money to him.

Though Castillo could have doubled her income by discreetly pocketing the cash, she doesn't regret doing the right thing.

"I'm a Christian, and the Bible says, 'Do not steal, do not lie,' you know, all these things, and if you do what's right, if you live the right way, you'll be taken care of. I believe I'll be taken care of... if you do what's right," she told WSVN.

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