A Victorian woman accused of theft after a $10.5 million mistaken cryptocurrency refund has been granted bail, despite claims she allegedly tried to flee the country. Thevamanogari Manivel and her partner, Jatinder Singh, appeared via video link from prison in Melbourne magistrates court on Tuesday, where they were committed to stand trial on theft and other charges.
In May 2021, Crypto.com intended to refund Manivel $100 but erroneously transferred $10.47 million. The error was not noticed until an audit in December. A compliance officer told the court a worker in Bulgaria had entered wrong numbers into an Excel spreadsheet. The refund was processed and sent to Manivel's Commonwealth Bank account.
Singh allegedly thought he had won the money after receiving a notification from the Crypto.com app about a competition, which he told Manivel. However, the compliance officer claimed no such competition existed and that Crypto.com does not send push notifications about competition winnings.
The money was allegedly used to buy four houses worth $4 million, with $4 million transferred to a Malaysian bank account. The rest was spent on gifts, vehicles, art, and furniture. Most of the money has been repaid, but about $3 million remains outstanding, with civil action underway to freeze properties and recover funds.
Manivel pleaded not guilty to three charges, including theft and negligently dealing with proceeds of crime. She was arrested at Melbourne airport in March while allegedly trying to fly to Malaysia on a one-way ticket with about $11,000 in cash. Singh pleaded not guilty to theft charges.
Magistrate Peter Reardon granted Manivel bail on strict conditions, including surrendering her passport and not attending any points of departure. The couple is due to face a directions hearing on 8 November.
