In Bologna, he finds an abandoned piece of furniture on the street with 86,000 euros inside and gives it to the municipality.

Bologna, Italy, Two women found €86,000 in cash inside an abandoned piece of furniture on the street last April and handed the money over to the city’s lost property office. A year later, they received €33,000 after reaching an agreement with the heir of the furniture. The case highlights how local authorities handle the return of found money under Italian law. The incident took place in early April 2025 when two individuals discovered a large sum of cash hidden within an old wooden cabinet left unattended on a public road in Bologna. Rather than keeping the money, they decided to turn it in to the city's lost property service. The women explained their discovery to the municipal staff, who recorded the information and initiated the formal process for handling found items. As part of standard procedure, the city filed a police report with the Carabinieri station in Bologna Mazzini, ensuring the situation was documented and monitored. According to official records, the city kept custody of the funds for one year, which is the legal period during which found money can remain in government possession before being distributed. During this time, both the women who had found the money and the heir of the furniture claimed rights to the cash. This led to an investigation by the municipality to determine rightful ownership. The dispute required careful examination of the circumstances surrounding the discovery and the legal status of the item itself. On July 30, 2025, the three parties, two women and the heir, reached a private agreement regarding the distribution of the funds. This agreement was formally notified to the city administration, which then proceeded with the handover of the money. As stated in the official notice published on the city’s public notice board, the amount of €33,000 was assigned to one of the women who had originally turned in the money. The remaining portion went to the heir of the furniture, resolving the matter amicably. The resolution of the case reflects the administrative procedures followed by local governments in Italy when dealing with found money. Under Italian law, found objects must be declared to the appropriate authority, and the owner has a specific timeframe to claim them. If no claimant comes forward, the money is typically returned to the finder after a set period. However, in cases involving disputed ownership, such as when the object itself has historical or familial significance, additional steps are taken to ensure fair distribution. This case also illustrates the role of community members in upholding ethical standards. By choosing to report the discovery rather than keep the money, the women demonstrated a commitment to honesty and civic responsibility. Their actions were supported by the city’s willingness to follow through with the legal process, even when multiple claims arose. The outcome of the case serves as a practical example of how Italian municipalities manage complex situations involving found property. It underscores the importance of clear legal frameworks and the cooperation between citizens and local authorities in maintaining transparency and fairness. The final distribution of the funds, while not equal among all claimants, ensured that each party received a share based on agreed terms.