Was $12,000 A Restaurant Tip Or Drug Money?

This just goes to show.

It doesn't pay to be an honest citizen

If I find any money, no matter what the amount, I am keeping it all and not reporting it to anybody, at all.

I admire that waitress.

Originally posted by boncho

Originally posted by bknapple32
Yea, its not like she found the money in some back alley ( even then it should be hers after 90 days). But she got this as a tip. Do whats right, unfairly tax her and let her keep the scraps.

Even if she did find it in a back alley... She reported it and no one claimed it. Whether it's a pile of cash, or $200 dollar ring. If it's okay to find and report one thing, how is not okay for something else?

Because if it's drug money the department has to spend it on police equipment.

My son in-law is a police chief, he has a hard time finding stuff to spend the seizure money on. The laws don't allow for it to be used on anything else. His department is very well equiped, AR's, MP5's, One squad (a Suburban) even has a roof mounted FLIR unit. All the cars have laptops and sattelite internet, full cameras and sound to record all stops. He won't admit it but I know a few of the squads have remore starters for wintertime.

Originally posted by liejunkie01
This just goes to show.

It doesn't pay to be an honest citizen

If I find any money, no matter what the amount, I am keeping it all and not reporting it to anybody, at all.

Me too.
Think about this what if
it was a sting operation
could the police lay a bag
of money out to see who picks
it up and then charge them with a crime
for not reporting it?
They do it with them damn bait cars.
I would just make sure no one was around
but if the lady handed it over personally
to the waitress I do not think there would
of been a problem, the lady leaving it
does seem a bit weird, but the cops
taking this money and keeping it
according to their will SICKENING
even more SICKENING if it was
some type of bait money!

There is nothing in the world more corrupt than an American cop, and we have the fake "war on drugs" to thank for it.

Oh the RCMP are pretty well corrupted too.......The Yanks got no lock on corruption.....
Id bet this money would end up in police pockets most anywhere these days....
The poor woman should have asked uss for some advice before calling the gendarmes....but then not everyone knows about ats legal services yet......

reply to post by popsmayhem


They could charge me all they wanted to.

I am not a scared of jail, unlike most people.

Been there, done that

reply to post by bknapple32


With all do respect with out even looking at the whole story.

If the waitress was black than it would be reconized as drug money.If the waitress was white than its celebrity money.Not being racists, just trying to adapt to the way it is in our times of days...Just keeping it real!

Hopefully im wrong, and im hoping im wrong so i can feel good about being wrong.

I'll be very curious to see what comes of this. How can they prove it was drug money? Hopefully the lady who left the tip will step forward and back this waitress. 12 Grand is one hell of a tip, but, haven't we all tipped big on occasion?
If your lucky enough to be my waiter or waitress around tax return time, you're gonna be Real happy. Any other time, I tip as well as i can.

Why does it matter if it's drug money or not? How is actually holding the physical money on hand going to help them solve a case? Give the public back THEIR money since they pay the police salaries.

I can't stand it when good people (especially those in need) get punished for doing the right thing.

Lot of that going around these days...

And as if there is any such thing as "clean money" anyway. You follow the course any given buck has taken through the system, and I guarantee it would tell a blood-soaked tale of crime and sin.

I would have kept a couple of thousand and bring the rest to the cops who's gonna know anyways....

Heres an update to the story link apparently the reason sited by the police for keeping the money is that it "smelled like marijuana"

You all realize if they have a on going investigation against someone who they believe sells drugs there not going to tell the press about it until they make an arrest.

Honestly who leaves a tip in rolled up bills in a box, maybe it wasnt left for the waitress.

Originally posted by caf1550
You all realize if they have a on going investigation against someone who they believe sells drugs there not going to tell the press about it until they make an arrest.

Honestly who leaves a tip in rolled up bills in a box, maybe it wasnt left for the waitress.

Who does a drug deal leaves the money
like that knowing there going to come after
you for the money?

I could see if someone was running from the cops
threw a bag of money and someone finding it
but to leave a bag of drug money on purpose in the
middle of no where then tell someone they can have it?
Something is odd, and the *smelt like marijuana*
they can't use the money as evidence against the person
maybe if they did a sting with the money and it was marked.
Read nothing about that though.
Unless they just come up with some more BS and trump up some
crap and use this money against someone
which i could see happening

reply to post by popsmayhem


Im not saying they do this but follow me for a second.

Lets say the owners of this restruant deal drugs through it, or even the lady who left the tip deals drugs for the restraunt owners. She gets money she owes to them, so she leaves it for the waitress to give to the owners. Maybe she was new to working there and didn't know who it was for and thought it was a tip.

Now if the police are investigating the restraunt then they would not reveal that to the press until they finish there investigtion because well if they did reveal it then that would be a big heads up for people to stop doing what they were doing.

Im not saying thats what is going on though since there is not enough info to go off of.

the most interesting part of the story hasn't been touched upon. Her "do the right thing" programming is far stronger then her "do the prudent thing." To a man, the posts so far are "why on earth did she turn it in?" Which begs the question, why? From childhood she was taught the right thing is to trust the police, they are on the side of good and will do whatever it takes to help. This programming was good, so airtight, that the prudent thing failed to make any headway.

When people ask why do folks do these things, the answer is "really good social, mental and emotional programming."

Long-time reader, first time poster. As a resident of Moorhead, MN, I wish I could say I were surprised. A buddy and I were talking about this being ATS- worthy just a couple hours before reading the OP. Let's just say the new police dog won't pay for itself. Wait- isn't that what my tax dollars are for?

She just made a kind donation to her local police department. Look at it this way. If she kept the cash the IRS would like to know where she got that kind of money since she is a waitress. That is a lot of cash to come into contact with and it would bring unwelcome attention to her finances. Perhaps, the cops are doing her a favor?

Who needs the aggravation of justifying that lump sum on a tax form? Or opening the door to an audit? Furthermore, it could very well be money earned by crime? Criminals have been known to dump excessive amounts of cash on cars in other people's names, spending thousands on clothes and other things, and property. They got to justify their windfalls like any other business person. Driving a luxury car and parking it in front of your ghetto flat is suspicious. I would not sweat what the cops are doing with the money. Keep it at as far I am concerned. No one leaves a box full of cash at a restaurant, and tells the waitress to keep it unless there is dirt on it.

reply to post by AGWskeptic

Because if it's drug money the department has to spend it on police equipment.

My son in-law is a police chief, he has a hard time finding stuff to spend the seizure money on. The laws don't allow for it to be used on anything else. His department is very well equiped, AR's, MP5's, One squad (a Suburban) even has a roof mounted FLIR unit. All the cars have laptops and sattelite internet, full cameras and sound to record all stops. He won't admit it but I know a few of the squads have remore starters for wintertime.

I don't know if you are agreeing with this or just stating the facts. But food for thought, Wachovia bank was just nailed a couple years ago for laundering proceeds of crime. They paid a small fine, perhaps all their assets should have been seized as well. Don't forget the CIA, as they were involved in some pretty shoddy stuff too. Seize all their money? The list could go on and on...

But here we have a woman who works at a diner and takes a 12,000 dollar tip. Even if it wasn't a tip, she found it, took it to be claimed, it wasn't. It's not illegal to have money, so there is no reason why she shouldn't be allowed to take it after no claim.

Last time I checked, after the police bust someone, they don't go around asking for all the money back for items they purchased.

"Sir, you sold a car to so-and-so, I need that money..."

The woman is an innocent party in all this, no matter where the money came from she deserves it. She did what she was told was the right thing.