I'm not sure what I feel for him yet.  I do feel sorry for his family though!

Also, if the investment story is true, how does a husband lose $2 million dollars that was given to him by his father in law?  I know people make really stupid mistakes, but shouldn't the couple be making that mistake together?  Especially considering it wasn't money from his own parents.

Weird.

 I'm sure I could have managed to keep at least some of a two million dollar gift!!

Maybe it would have made more sense for him to give it to me for safety's sake. 

Kay, he works at a bank!

So did one of my family members.  That fact paled beside the number of maxed out credit cards she had!

Not every couple does the joint banking / joint accounts thing.  For that matter depending on the dynamics / health of the relationship not every wife knows the details of her husband's finances and vice versa. 

Joint banking isn't something that needs to be done by every couple.  Major investment decisions should.  I suspect that it wasn't his money that he lost, otherwise he wouldn't be so desperate.  I think it was the family's or the couple's money.

Wouldn't it be nice to see all the assest/debts our financial advisors have? Along with the MERS of their investments!

For punishment, do you think he should have to repay the cost for his search?

There's a little part of me that immediately responds yes!  Then I think of his family - it isn't their fault (although that can be said of almost all fines).  Also, we don't want to see people not calling the police in such situations if there's any suspicion that it could be self-inflicted.  I wouldn't be against community service though!

i feel sorry for him and his family

desperation make folk do deperate things

as for punishment? making him repay the costs associated with the search might make sense but that might place extra strain on his family

this is so easily foregiven - i am sure local shelters/charities could use some volunteer hours

Obviously it was a crap finance course he was doing, or he wasn't paying attention in class… or he has some seriously screwed up values. I'd go with the last posssibility, probably exaccerbated by his family and teachers.

I have sympathy for him. Obviously whatever happened he found himself in a desperate situation and tried to cover it up. I agree this was pretty extreme, but I wonder how many of us have never done something we wish we hadn't done and then tried to hide it or cover it up. I'm not saying that he shouldn't be held accountable, but justice needs to be tempered with mercy.