Imagine waking up one morning to find your bank balance has skyrocketed from $46 to a whopping $26.7 million overnight. Sounds like a dream come true, right? Well, that’s exactly what happened to Antônio Pereira, a bus driver and father-of-four from Brazil.

We often fantasize about becoming millionaires, but for most of us, it remains just a fantasy. However, Pereira’s unexpected windfall turned his dreams into a brief reality.

Pereira, a grandfather-of-14, went to bed one night in June last year without any inkling of the wealth that awaited him. When he checked his bank account the following morning, he was stunned to see such an astronomical figure. “So many zeros appeared that I was scared… I’ve never seen money like that in my life,” he said.

However, Pereira quickly realized that this sudden fortune was a mistake. Being an honest and trustworthy person, he did not even consider keeping the money. Instead, he immediately told his wife, who shared the same sentiment. “Let’s give it back,” she said.

Without wasting any time, Pereira visited his neighborhood bank, where he had been a loyal customer for 25 years, to rectify the error. “At nine o’clock at night, the money left my account for their account,” he recounted. By the end of the day, his millionaire status disappeared, but Pereira held his head high, knowing he made the right choice.

Returning the money was not just a moral decision; it was also a legal one. According to Brazilian lawyer Paula Dângelo, using money that was mistakenly transferred to you is considered a crime. Pereira would have been obligated to return the funds, and failure to do so could have resulted in severe civil and criminal penalties.

While the temptation to keep such a substantial amount of money may be enticing for many, Pereira’s story serves as a reminder of the importance of integrity. Despite the fleeting taste of wealth, he chose honesty and ensured that justice prevailed.

So, next time you fantasize about hitting the jackpot, remember Antônio Pereira, the humble bus driver from Brazil, who found himself briefly immersed in a world of unimaginable riches, and chose to do what was right.