Tocantins Court denies appeal by driver seeking R$ 13 million reward

The Tocantins Court of Justice (TJTO) has denied an appeal by bus driver Antônio Pereira do Nascimento, who is seeking a reward following an erroneous bank transfer. Nascimento, often referred to as the “millionaire for a day,” is suing Banco Bradesco after receiving R$ 131,870,227.00 by mistake. Although he returned the full amount, he is claiming R$ 13,187,022.00 as a reward—equivalent to 10% of the total—plus R$ 150,000.00 in moral damages.

The driver alleges he suffered psychological pressure from bank management and incurred unnecessary fees after his account was upgraded to a VIP category due to the windfall. His legal team sought to include witness testimony to prove he took the initiative to report the error and to substantiate claims of psychological distress. However, the court ruled that the existing documentary evidence, such as bank statements and communications, is sufficient for the case and that the appeal was “manifestly inadmissible” because it failed to demonstrate the urgency required for such a legal maneuver.