MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The Liberia National Police (LNP) has formally charged a Paynesville-based mobile money merchant after he allegedly withdrew and transferred thousands of dollars from a United Bank for Africa (UBA) deposit that was mistakenly credited to his account.
The suspect, identified as Leroy Cooper, owner of Leroy Cooper Business Branch #3, has been charged with Theft of Property and Theft of Property Lost, Mislaid, or Delivered by Mistake following an investigation conducted by the Property Crime Unit of the LNP.
According to police investigators, the incident occurred on June 1, 2026, when a UBA customer attempted to transfer L$250,000 to Cooper’s MTN Mobile Money account. Authorities say a bank teller mistakenly transferred US$250,000 instead of the intended Liberian dollar amount.
The error was reportedly discovered during a routine reconciliation process conducted by the bank. However, investigators allege that before UBA detected the mistake, Cooper had already begun moving the funds to several mobile money accounts and successfully cashed out approximately US$45,000.
Police said Cooper acknowledged noticing that the amount credited to his account was far greater than what he expected to receive. Rather than notifying the bank or mobile money provider about the discrepancy, investigators claim he discussed the matter with relatives and associates before transferring portions of the money.
Following the discovery of the error, UBA reportedly notified MTN LoneStar Cell, prompting the telecommunications company to freeze the remaining funds before they could be withdrawn.
The police investigation concluded that the teller’s actions resulted from human error and that there was no evidence suggesting criminal intent on her part. However, authorities determined that Cooper knowingly exercised control over money that did not belong to him and took steps to use and distribute the funds.
The matter has since been forwarded to court for prosecution and is expected to attract significant public interest because of the large sum involved and the legal issues surrounding mistaken electronic transfers.
Legal observers say the case could become a landmark matter, potentially shaping how Liberian courts handle disputes involving funds mistakenly deposited into mobile money and electronic banking accounts.
