Restaurant Owner Returns $12K Found in Old Cabinet

A restaurant owner in Myrtle Beach just proved that honesty still thrives, even when faced with a small fortune.

Sak Yiengjuntuek was cleaning out old tool chests left behind by the previous owner of what's now Lemongrass Pho & Thai Cuisine. The cabinets seemed like junk, but curiosity got the better of him when he spotted a sunglasses case tucked inside.

Inside sat stacks of $100 bills totaling $12,000.

"I was so shocked," Yiengjuntuek told TODAY. "I knew right then that it belonged to the previous owner."

Most people might have wrestled with temptation, but not Yiengjuntuek. He immediately tried calling the restaurant's former owner, only to discover the number had been disconnected.

Determined to return the money, he reached out to local NBC affiliate WMBF to share his story, hoping the owner might see it on television. That's when something remarkable happened.

While live on air, Yiengjuntuek suddenly remembered he had saved another phone number for the man under a different name. Right there on camera, he made the call.

The relief in his voice was instant when the owner answered. "I have some good news for you," Yiengjuntuek said, as viewers watched the moment unfold in real time.

The timing turned out to be even more meaningful than anyone knew. The money's owner was struggling with a significant health problem, making the return of those funds especially critical.

Why This Inspires

Yiengjuntuek's actions have made him a local hero in Myrtle Beach, where community members now greet him with admiration wherever he goes. But he's not seeking praise. He wants his choice to spark something bigger.

"I just want to say: Do the right thing," he told TODAY. "Don't give up honesty."

His message lands at a time when many people wonder if integrity still matters. In choosing to return money he could have easily kept, Yiengjuntuek reminded an entire community that character isn't about what you do when people are watching, but what you do when no one would ever know.

The live broadcast captured something rare: the exact moment when doing the right thing became its own reward.

Sometimes the greatest treasures aren't the ones we find, but the ones we choose to give back.