Citibank Funds Turned Over to California: $154.9 Million

• Citibank reported 183,293 records to California worth $154,879,796 in total.
• 1,889 of those records are worth $10,000 or more.
• The most common property types are cashier's checks and accounts receivable credit balances.
• There is no deadline to claim this money; California holds it until the owner or an heir comes forward.
• A recovery firm may charge no more than 10 per cent of property reported under §1530, and only after the Controller pays.

Why did Citibank send my money to California?

Banks are required by California law to report and eventually remit money that has sat inactive for a set number of years: an uncashed cashier’s check, a dormant checking account, a credit balance on a supplier’s account that nobody collected. Citibank, like every bank operating in the state, files these reports with the State Controller and then pays over the funds it could not return to the owner directly.

This is not a sign of wrongdoing by Citibank. It is a routine compliance obligation under the Code of Civil Procedure, and a holder that is late owes the Controller interest at 12 per cent a year unless it had reasonable cause, which is one reason banks report promptly rather than let balances sit.

What kinds of Citibank property ended up with the State?

Across the 183,293 records Citibank has reported, six categories make up the bulk of the value:

• Cashier’s checks — 57,805 records, $58,350,983
• Credit balances on accounts receivable — 90,644 records, $26,950,995
• Checking accounts — 8,179 records, $19,526,888
• Checking accounts, demand deposit — 5,690 records, $11,863,947
• Matured CDs or savings certificates — 1,480 records, $11,285,006
• Savings accounts or credit union shares — 6,925 records, $7,237,594

The accounts receivable credit balances are worth noticing: these are commonly owed to businesses and suppliers that overpaid or were overcredited, not only to individual customers. If your company ever did business with Citibank, it is worth checking alongside any personal accounts.

How much is a typical Citibank record worth?

The average record is $845, but that figure covers a wide range. A small balance left on a closed checking account might be worth a few dollars. A matured certificate of deposit, an uncollected cashier’s check, or a large receivable credit can be worth far more: 1,889 of Citibank’s reported records are valued at $10,000 or more.

Because the records span such different dollar amounts, the only way to know what applies to you is to check by name, not by assuming the average applies.

Is there a deadline to claim this money?

No. California does not set a deadline for an owner, or an owner’s heirs, to claim property the State is holding. The money sits with the Controller indefinitely until someone files a valid claim. The one exception is an estate that has been permanently escheated to the State, where title has already passed and no claim will be paid; that is rare and distinct from the ordinary unclaimed property most Citibank customers would be looking for.

How do I find out if I'm on Citibank's list?

Names, not account numbers, are how these records are indexed. A search by your own name, a family member’s name, or your business name is the direct way to find out whether Citibank reported anything under it. You can run that search here, and if you are acting for a deceased relative’s estate rather than in your own name, the process differs slightly; see our pages on claiming as an heir or executor and on claiming for a business for what each situation requires.

What does it cost to use a recovery service?

California law caps what a recovery firm may charge to locate and claim property reported under Code of Civil Procedure §1530, which covers bank-reported property like Citibank’s, at 10 per cent of what is recovered. That cap does not apply to estates that reach the State through county probate, which follow the Probate Code instead and carry no fee restriction for investigators. No fee of any kind may be collected before the Controller has approved the claim and paid the owner, and any agreement must disclose the property’s nature and value in writing before you sign it.

California Unclaimed Property Services charges 10 per cent of what is recovered on Citibank-type bank records, and nothing if nothing is recovered. You are also free to file directly with the Controller yourself; our service exists for people who would rather not track down the paperwork, notarization requirements, and documentation on their own. See our pricing page and what the law says about finder fees for the full picture before you decide.

Questions People Ask

Figures on this page are from our copy of the State Controller’s published file as it stood on 2 October 2026. The State republishes the file weekly, so current totals will differ. Search is always against the latest copy.