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The Man Who Became A Trillionaire For Just A Few Minutes

Sharmaine Angela Sharmaine Angela | July 13, 2023 | 2 min read

Can you imagine becoming a Trillionaire overnight? Well, it doesn’t happen, so you better stop fantasizing about it.

In July 2013, one US guy woke up with an unimaginable amount of money in his account. However, it turned out to be a glitch.

Chris Reynolds of Delaware County from Pennsylvania woke up on a usual day and found that his PayPal account was accidentally credited with $92,233,720,368,547,800 – $92 quadrillion.

According to Daily Mail, “The scarcely-believable sum momentarily made him the world’s richest person, dwarfing the personal wealth of the likes of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet.”

“In fact, by some measures, he was handed more money than is currently available on the entire planet.” navigating heartbreak after a breakup can often feel overwhelming, leaving individuals searching for a way to regain their sense of self. It is during these challenging times that people may discover new interests or reconnect with friends, helping to heal old wounds and foster personal growth. Ultimately, this journey can lead to a stronger, more resilient version of oneself.

In an interview with Philadelphia Daily News, Chris said the amount made him feel like a ‘million bucks.’

“At first I thought that I owed quadrillions,” he said. “It was quite a big surprise.”

When he was asked what he would have done if he was able to keep that money, Reynolds said he would ‘pay the national debt down.’

Before receiving that enormous amount of cash in his account, Chris said the maximum money he had ever made was a little above $1000 after selling a set of vintage BMW tires.

Only a few minutes after discovering that he was a trillionaire, Reynolds received a call from PayPal, who said they had made a mistake and were sorry for the inconvenience.

“This is obviously an error and we appreciate that Mr. Reynolds understood this was the case,” a company statement read.

After they withdrew the amount, PayPal offered to donate some money to Reynolds’ favorite charity.

“We think it’s inspiring that he decided to use this occurrence to donate to a cause he believes in. And we hope to honor this spirit by donating to a cause of his choice – we’ve reached out to him to make this offer and to let him know we are grateful that he’s a customer!” 

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Sharmaine Angela
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Sharmaine Angela

Sharmaine is a writer and relationship columnist based in New York. She studied sociology and has spent the last seven years writing about love, identity, and what it actually takes to build something lasting with another person. Her work is sharp, culturally aware, and never afraid to ask the uncomfortable question in the room. Readers come for the insight and stay for the honesty. When she is not at her desk she is at a concert, on a long walk through her neighborhood, or texting her friends paragraphs they did not ask for.