#Rhode Island residents get checks signed ‘Walt Disney’ and ‘Mickey Mouse’

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Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse
Courtesy Everett Collection

Rhode Island’s Division of Taxation turned into a literal Mickey Mouse outfit this week when 176 refund checks were accidentally mailed out bearing the cartoon character’s “signature.”

The checks, mailed Monday, were signed “Mickey Mouse” where General Treasurer Seth Magaziner’s name belonged, and “Walt Disney” in the spot reserved for State Controller Peter Keenan, according to multiple reports.

The “test signatures” were mistakenly misprinted on the checks due to a “technical error” in the state’s automated refund check printing system, Department of Revenue chief of staff Jade Borgeson explained in a statement.

“As a result of a technical error in the Division of Taxation’s automated refund check printing system, approximately 176 checks with invalid signature lines were printed and mailed to taxpayers on Monday 7/27/2020,” Borgeson said.

“The invalid signature lines were incorrectly sourced from the Division’s test print files.”

The misprinted signatures appeared on corporate tax refunds, sales tax rebates, and tax credit refunds. The State also said that the checks have been voided; corrected checks will be issued within a week, officials said.