Bank Accounts (was Gringotts Bank)

[kiricat2001 <Zarleycat@aol.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 50545

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "marinafrants <rusalka at i...>" 
<rusalka at i...> wrote:
  
> Maybe when Sirius became Harry's godfather, he set up a joint 
> account for the two of them? That might also explain why the money 
> didn't get seized when Sirius was arrested.

But, why would the money in Sirius' account be seized? Does this 
happen in the UK - you're convicted of a heinous crime, you go to 
prison for life and the government is entitled to take your assets? 
And, if that's not the law in the UK, why would people think the MoM 
has authority to take Sirius' money out of Gringotts, whether to keep 
it or to give it to Sirius' next-of-kin?  

I'm no lawyer, but I'm pretty sure this doesn't happen in the US.  
I'd think that Sirius' accounts and real property would simply sit 
around until he died. If he, or any convict, died in prison and he 
had left a will behind, I'd think the property and money would go to 
whoever was specified in the will. And, if he died intestate, with no 
next-of-kin, then the MoM could do what they wished with the assets.

Which doesn't really get to the question of how money is transferred 
from the account of a fugitive to a broom merchant.  I suppose if 
everything is written out correctly on an order form, with the 
correct vault indicated, and signed by the owner of the vault, then, 
perhaps this is then considered a binding agreement.  All of the 
required legalities are covered, and the Gringott's goblins don't 
care that the person requesting this payment is a wanted criminal.  
He's dotted his i's and crossed his t's and the signiture matches the 
signature on file for that vault, so, to the Goblins, all the 
requirements are met.  

On the other hand, if the MoM thinks that Sirius is a complete nut-
case, perhaps it never occurred to them to monitor any activity in 
his bank account after his escape from prison.  They might very well 
have thought that he was too busy ducking Dementors and trying to get 
into Hogwarts to consider that he might spend some time shopping by 
mail...

Marianne