Rhode Island residents who were owed tax credit refunds were happy to get their checks in the mail, but they didn’t know that they would be in the form of Disney Dollars!
Local Rhode Island NBC affiliate WJAR reported that a viewer contacted the station and wondered why her check was signed by General Treasurer Mickey Mouse and State Controller Walt Disney, and not current Rhode Island General Treasurer Seth Magaziner and State Controller Peter Keenan.
After a little investigative reporting, WJAR learned that Mickey Mouse and Walt Disney are the names used on dummy checks for internal testing and slipped through the cracks on the 176 refund checks. The misprinted checks were mostly related to sales tax, corporate refunds, and tax credit refunds. The checks are, of course, null and void, and can no longer be deposited or cashed (in a Disney park or anywhere else).
Unfortunately for the 176 recipients, the Walt Disney signatures were not legitimate. Walt Disney’s certified autographs routinely sell for well over $1000, based on the item autographed and the quality of the signature.
You can view a sample misprint below (courtesy of WJAR).
