What would you do if you found $100 thousand?

I've learned over the years that money isn't everything. I would have to put myself in the other persons position.

I would return it.

I would return it for the same reasons this young man did: it was labelled as such, was obviously meant for a specific purpose, and it was the "right thing to do."

But if I take into consideration the scenario that another commenter has posted, I think that in the situation of the suitcase in the desert I would not be so "honest." I am sure that I will be accused of rationalizing and justifying myself, but it is obvious that the money was procured in a shady manner, and was not destined to anything good. I know that I would use the money for a good reason: pay off debt, start a little nest egg, and so forth. The money might have originally been for drugs, human trafficking, blood money, or some other nefarious purpose.

That then begs the moral question: does getting such "dirty" money out of the bloodstream of organized (or unorganized) crime ultimately justify the "crime" of claiming it? Sometimes karma, fate, fortune, Providence – or whatever you want to call it – really does drop gifts in our laps from unlikely sources. Is it looking a gift horse in the mouth not to capitalize on a serendipitous happenstance?

As altruistic as I may pretend to be, I would really think long and hard if the situation was just right. To take a historical/religious example, I don't believe that the Jews were wrong in taking the "spoils of Egypt" when they left. Yes, it could be argued that they broke one of the ten commandments even before they got them; but if it was that God gave them freedom, He also gave them a good beginning to build their Promised Land.

Sometimes karma/fate/God cheats on the cheaters to cut the good guys a break. Sometimes there is an invisible Robin Hood that steals from the rich to feed the poor....

Wow. Great question.

If the circumstances were the same, I would return it without question.

What if you change the situation a little bit?

What if, instead of being clearly labeled about who owns the cash, etc., you find a suitcase in the middle of the desert with that much cash in it?

Nobody else is around for miles and miles and miles and there is no identification as to where the money came from.

Hmmmm..........

One must always make every effort to return any money found.

What if the money actually was donations to an orphanage for food and medical supplies?

return the money

I wud find out who lost it and if he were poor, I'd give it back to him.

Would have to turn it in- I wouldn't be able to sleep otherwise.- kharma can be a real *****