Immigrant from West Africa receives nearly $1,000 tip for $4.31 Philly cab fare

A Philadelphia cab driver who immigrated to the U.S. from West Africa received a tip of roughly $1,000 for driving a distance of less than one mile.

Oumar Maiga received $989.98 on Dec. 13 for a fare of $4.31, but his bosses at Freedom Taxi waited until the credit card cleared before publicizing the gesture.

“I know what I did,” the passenger said to Mr. Maiga when the cab driver asked if the tip was a mistake, Philly.com reported Wednesday.

Freedom Taxi told the newspaper that the credit card company would not disclose the mystery customer’s identity.

I’ve heard of some large tips before, but nothing this big,” said Everett M. Abitbol, co-founder of Freedom Taxi, Philly.com reported. “It couldn’t have happened to a better guy.”