Car renter claiming confiscated money - Car Rental News
Car renter claiming confiscated money
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Car Rental News - 22/01/2009
A Canadian man is trying to legally claim nearly $1 million US in cash police found in his rental car.
Las Vegas police found the cash in a duffle bag and suitcase in the trunk of his rental car when he was stopped for speeding in Nevada last summer.
His claimed is being blocked by the U.S. Attorney's Office, however, as apparently there is evidence suggesting that the man, British Columbia resident Michael Simard, was involved in some way in either smuggling drugs or transport drug-related money.
Although Simard was permitted to return to his home in Canada last August, and not charged with any crime, authorities are saying that the confiscated money, amounting to around 50,000 $20 bills, should be officially forfeited to the U.S. government.
According to the court document, at the time of the incident Simard said he did not know where the cash had come from and denied involvement in any criminal activity. In a statement he wrote voluntarily for the police he wrote: "Bags aren't mine. Money isn't mine."
In October, however, he filed a request to recover the money from the car, which prompted authorities in Nevada to file a counter-claim with the court.
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