• Police found CAD 1.2 million (about USD 1.19 million) hidden in Marcel Breton’s home
• Judge allowed Breton to keep CAD 15,000 (about USD 10,600)

A Canadian man lost his 16-year legal battle to reclaim over CAD 1.2 million he had hidden in unusual spots around his home.

In 2009, police visited Marcel Breton’s rural property near Thunder Bay, Ontario, searching for an illegal handgun, according to court documents.

During the search, they discovered cash hidden in bizarre locations: CAD 15,000 in the living room floor heating ducts, about CAD 32,000 in various spots around the garage, and more than CAD 1.2 million in a rubber tub buried under the garage.

The total stash was worth approximately USD 1.19 million.

Authorities also found various illegal drugs, calling the discovery “shocking.”

Breton was initially charged with several offenses, including possession of proceeds of crime, and convicted. However, he later won an appeal, arguing the search was unlawful, and was acquitted.

The fate of the money remained in dispute until an Ontario appeals court on Monday upheld a 2023 ruling that most of it should go to the government.

The court noted that trial judge Bruce Fitzpatrick described it as “unusual for an ordinary person to have such a large sum buried in tubs under their property.”

Most of the bills were CAD 20 notes, commonly linked to drug trade, and Breton had not reported any income to the Canada Revenue Agency between 2001 and 2008.

The judge also rejected Breton’s claims that the money came from lottery winnings, casinos, or his vehicle repair business, ordering the majority handed over to the government—a decision affirmed by the appeals court.

Not all news was bad for Breton, as the court allowed him to keep CAD 15,000 found in the home’s heating ducts, since the judge could not rule out that it was legally obtained—equivalent to about USD 10,600 today.