Photo: ODT filesA Christchurch couple who found more than $230,000 in the ceiling will be allowed to keep $40,000 of it. The couple, whose names are suppressed, found the mystery money sealed in plastic bricks tucked in insulation at their property in 2021. In a judgment released on Wednesday, Justice Robert Osborne decided the couple could keep $40,000 of the cash, with the rest given to the Crown. Both parties had reached a proposed settlement in the hearing, suggesting the couple be paid that amount from the cash. He said his responsibility was to determine the settlement had been reached fairly, and was consistent with the purposes of the Criminal Proceeds Recovery Act.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 04, 2026 20:19 UTC