Broke NY Taxi driver returns $21,000 found in taxi

An environment for anything from relaxed general discussion topics to intense debates. Just remember to show some respect and keep things on topic.
Post Reply
User avatar
Agent Of Fortune
Moderator
Posts: 265
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 5:42 pm

Broke NY Taxi driver returns $21,000 found in taxi

Post by Agent Of Fortune »

A Bangladeshi taxi driver in New York City has gone out of his way to track down the person who left thousands of dollars in cash in the back of his cab.

Mukul Asadujjaman, a medical student, drove nearly 80kms (50 miles) to an address he found with the money.

He left his phone number when he found no one at home. The money belonged to an Italian grandmother visiting the US.

Mr Asadujjaman was offered a reward, but he turned it down saying that as a devout Muslim he could not accept it.

Felicia Lettieri, of Pompeii, Italy, and six relatives had taken two cabs on Christmas Eve, Newsday newspaper reported.

Mrs Lettieri, 72, left her purse behind, with more than $21,000 of the group's travelling money, jewellery worth thousands more, and some of their passports.

Her sister, Francesca Lettieri, 79, of Long Island, said the honest driver had saved her family's vacation.

"We really love what he did," she said.

A gracious Asadujjaman was quoted by the newspaper as saying that he may be broke, but he was also honest.

"My mother is my inspiration. She always said to be honest and work hard."

Mr Asadujjaman called a friend with a car and drove some 80km to a Long Island address in the purse.

No one was at home, so he left his phone number and a note, the report said.

His phone rang a short time later and he drove back to return the bag.

"They were so, so, so happy," Mr Asadujjaman told the paper.

Asked if he was tempted to keep the cash, Mr Asadujjaman said the money would have allowed him more time to study, "but my heart said this is not good".

He also turned down a reward, saying he could not accept it as a devout Muslim, Newsday reported.

"I'm needy, but I'm not greedy," he said. "It's better to be honest."

Mr Asadujjaman is not the first honest American-Bangladeshi cabbie to hit the headlines for noble behaviour.

In 2007, driver Osman Chowdhury returned a lost bag containing diamond rings worth $500,000 to the rightful owner.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8455897.stm

I just thought this was a cool story because it shows how honorable people can be sometimes. He even turned down a reward, saying that he could not accept it as a devout Muslim.

I'm reminded of the line from Shenmue, "Even a starving eagle never steals."
User avatar
Brotherman
Moderator
Posts: 963
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 2:03 pm
Location: Authoritarian States of America

Re: Broke NY Taxi driver returns $21,000 found in taxi

Post by Brotherman »

It's good to see people still have values. :)
User avatar
Riku
Posts: 161
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 7:49 pm
Location: Kent, England

Re: Broke NY Taxi driver returns $21,000 found in taxi

Post by Riku »

:clap:
Post Reply