Father’s 62-year-old passbook makes son a millionaire overnight; here’s how
Most of us have that one day when we finally get around to cleaning a dusty corner of the house we’ve ignored for years. Maybe we find an old photograph, a long-lost key, or a childhood toy. But what if that random clean-up session led to something completely unexpected– like becoming a millionaire overnight?
That’s exactly what happened to a man in Chile, whose ordinary day took a dramatic turn because of one forgotten piece of paper. No lottery, no sudden inheritance– just an old bank passbook that had been sitting quietly for over six decades. Here’s how a simple household clean-up turned into the discovery of a lifetime.
An ordinary day with an extraordinary twist
Exequiel Hinojosa wasn’t expecting anything unusual. He was just sorting through some of his late father’s belongings– papers, files, memories stored away for years. That’s when he spotted a small, faded passbook tucked away among old documents. It looked like something that belonged in the trash. But instead of throwing it out, he decided to take a closer look. That decision changed everything.
A forgotten account that held a hidden secret
According to media reports, the passbook dated back to the 1960s or 70s. It belonged to Hinojosa’s father, who had passed away nearly a decade ago. It showed a bank deposit of what would’ve been a modest amount at the time– money his father likely saved with the dream of buying a home one day. At first, the discovery didn’t feel like anything significant. The bank where the account had been opened had long since shut down. But one small line on the passbook caught Hinojosa’s eye– something that gave him hope.
One line that made all the difference
Written on the passbook were the words “State Guarantee.” It meant that even though the bank no longer existed, the money could still be backed by the government. Encouraged by this detail, Hinojosa decided to see if he could claim the amount, as per a report presented by News 18.
Denied at first, but he didn’t give up
When he first approached the authorities to claim the funds, his request was turned down. Most people might have walked away, assuming the fight wasn’t worth it. But Hinojosa believed that the money, saved with hard work by his father, still rightfully belonged to his family. So, he took the matter to court.
The court’s verdict
After a prolonged legal battle, the court ruled in Hinojosa’s favour. And this is where things took a surprising turn. Not only was he granted access to the original deposit, but the government was also ordered to return the money with interest. And that interest had quietly grown over 62 years, media reports suggest.
From a few lakhs to Rs 10 crore
The original amount– worth around Rs 1.4 lakh back in the day– had multiplied many times over thanks to decades of interest. According to the News 18 report, Hinojosa was awarded $1.2 million (approximately Rs 10 crore). That dusty old passbook turned out to be the ticket to a fortune he never saw coming.
