Systems Error Means Man Gets Free Paycheck for Five Years
Wouldn't it be nice to get paid to do nothing? Probably. Until you got arrested, that is. According to reports from the Chicago Tribune and the Associated Press, Anthony Armatys, an Illinois resident, learned that lesson the hard way.
Armatys, 34, reportedly interviewed for a job with Avaya Incorporated in 2002. He got an offer, which he accepted, but backed out of the contract before he actually began working, sources indicate. But, thanks to a "systems error" Armatys still got certain benefits from Avaya - benefits like full salary, a retirement plan and more.
Sources indicate that between 2002, when Armatys was first offered the job and March of 2007, when Avaya got hip to the game, he was paid about $469,000, all told. And he evidently even extracted about $1,900 from his retirement fund!
Earlier this month, Armatys was allegedly arrested at his home in Palatine, Illinois. The lag time between the company's discovery of their error and the criminal action taken against Armatys was the result of a thorough police investigation, according to reports. Apparently, the FBI was involved as well.
The Tribune notes that Armatys is now awaiting his extradition to New Jersey, where criminal proceedings will take place. His bail has been set at $50,000.
While the basic facts of this story may seem bizarre, the details add even more intrigue.
Deeper investigation into the Armatys family conducted by the Chicago Tribune reveals another layer to the saga. Apparently, Armatys, who is married and has two sons, filed for bankruptcy in 2004. The paperwork allegedly included more than $400,000 worth of debt, including a significant amount of home loans.
So, in case anyone was still wondering, Armatys' case proves once and for all that money can't buy everything. Or at least money isn't the answer to all your problems.
Now, despite extra income during the past five years, Armatys is facing a criminal charge of theft by deception and has to leave his family in order to face the ramifications of his decision to accept the pay he didn't earn.
Unfortunately, this is one of those stories where nobody comes out on top: Avaya, Armatys' non-employer, looks a bit silly for having overlooked their error for so long. True, a company that employs a reported 18,000 people globally and 1,800 in New Jersey alone may not miss a few hundred thousand over the course of half a decade.
But still.
Moral of the story? No free lunches. It may be a cliché, but it's still true.