Bank error makes restaurant manager the world's first ever trillionaire (and he even offered to pay off the national debt before the glitch was spotted)

By Anna Edwards

PUBLISHED: 06:06 EST, 4 October 2013 | UPDATED: 08:34 EST, 4 October 2013


Reggie Theus became a trillionaire for a short period

Reggie Theus became a trillionaire for a short period - after his bank made a huge error

Most people on finding out that they've become rich beyond their wildest dreams would immediately splash out on a selfish purchase - a yacht, a mansion, maybe even a private island.

But when Reggie Theus discovered he had become a trillionaire thanks to a bank error, he decided to make life easy for his fellow Americans, and offered to pay of the national debt.

Sadly for the country, the bank realised its mistake, and soon took away the East Texan's $4,000,000,000,000 - dashing the States' hope of an easy fix for their financial crisis.

Mr Theus, a restaurant manager, didn't throw caution to the wind and quit his job, thankfully - he still turned up and was busy waiting on tables and co-ordinating his staff.

He told KLTV: 'I was definitely surprised when I looked in my account and saw that much money in there.

'I looked it up and there's never been a trillionaire before.'

The bank, which asked their customer not to identify them, had made the error during an online banking update.

Mr Theus' offer could not have come at a better time for the warring government, which has shutdown while Republicans and Democrats argue over raising the debt-ceiling.

Rich beyond his wildest dreams! Reggie Theus offered to help clear the national debt

Rich beyond his wildest dreams! Reggie Theus offered to help clear the national debt

Not a bad start to the day: The fortune quickly disappeared though after the bank realised its error

Not a bad start to the day: The fortune quickly disappeared though after the bank realised its error

House Republicans have been demanding that Obama agree to cut funding or delay implementation of his signature healthcare law in exchange for their agreement to approve spending measures to reopen the government.

 

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Obama held talks in the Oval Office with the top U.S. Republican, House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, the Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, the top Democrat in Congress, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi yesterday.

It was their first face-to-face talks since a government shutdown began on Tuesday.

The trillionaire didn't let the money go to his head, and he was still serving customers at his day job

The trillionaire didn't let the money go to his head, and he was still serving customers at his day job

While the U.S. government closure has already had repercussions from frustrated tourists turned away from national parks to cancelled stops on Obama’s Asia  trip, the deadline for raising the nation’s debt limit poses a much graver risk.

If the U.S. Congress fails to raise the $16.7trillion (€12.3trillion) borrowing cap, the U.S. would go into default, likely triggering financial market shockwaves around the world.

For now, Reggie has a way to go before he catches up with Carlos Slim Helu is the world's richest man for the fourth year in a row.

The 73-year-old Mexican was valued at $73 billion by Forbes in their annual billionaires list in March.

His wealth is believed to be based on soaring stock prices at his financial arm, Grupo Financiero Inbursa, and at his Grupo Carso industrial and retail giant. He can also thank his Pan-Latin American mobile telecom outfit, America Movil, which is worth $36.3 billion.

 

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Even at that, he'd still be several trillion short.

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Why oh why couldn't THIS black man be our President? He is a salt-of-the-Earth American. I'd vote for him in a heartbeat. Mr. Obama isn't qualified to wipe this man's butt. But I'd give him that job anyway.

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The IRS will want to know when Reggie will be reporting that extra money in his account. Reggie! Run for the hills!

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Just wait till the IRS finds out he earned an extra $4T in 2013! Reggie, don't quit your day job!

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Could you imagine the scenario if that was here?. The government would put it in the foreign aid pot!

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Only 15% of the US government is shutdown. Only non-essentials. But since it is a politicians livelihood to siphon money away from taxpayers, they scream bloody murder whenever someone tried to take away or even slow down their gravy train.

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Only 15% of the US government is shutdown. Only non-essentials. But since it is a politicians livelihood to siphon money away from taxpayers, they scream bloody murder whenever someone tried to take away or even slow down their gravy train.

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if that was my bank balance i'd get to the nearest ATM!

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I'd have transferred the lot to a Swiss bank account and skipped the country ...FAST !

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Sadly that's $14,000,000,000,000 short of the national debt and that debt's in REAL money too...

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