A homeless man who found $42,000 in a bag is set to gain over £110.000 as a reward for his honesty after turning the bag in to the authorities.

Just over a week ago, good samaritan Glen James found a backpack containing $2,400 in cash and a WHOPPING $39,500 in AmEx Travelers Cheques.

He was honored by Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis and given a special citation and thanked for an ‘extraordinary show of character and honesty.’

In a statement he read out at the courthouse ceremony, he said: “Even if I were desperate for money, I would not have kept even a penny of the money I found. I am extremely religious — God has always very well looked after me.”

A fund has since been set up for him to thank him for his integrity. So far, over £100.000 has been raised for him, and it is still growing.

The fund has been set up by Ethan Whittington, a marketing accounts manager from Midlothian who said that all funds will go to Glen James.

Whittington was so inspired and impressed with James’s honesty after reading about it in the media, that he set up a donation page to help give James a new start.

Jame’s case has sparked international attention, after he flagged down a police officer and handed over the backpack containing the money he had found. The backpack had also contained Chinese passports and other personal papers.

Interestingly, authorities said that the backpack’s owner didn’t want his identity made public, but that he was a Chinese student who was visiting another student in Boston.

Who walks around with $42,000 in their backpack, complete with passports anyway?

Thankfully for the mysterious owner, James was the one who found the backpack.

James, is from the Boston area and has been homeless since 2005. He is currently staying at a city homeless shelter and many people have expressed interest in helping him since hearing about his good deed.

He had formerly worked as a courthouse employee in the city before being fired after problems with his boss. Shortly after that, he became homeless.

He explained how it would be difficult for him to hold down a job because he suffers from Meniere’s disease, which the Mayo Clinic describes as an inner ear disorder that causes episodes of vertigo.

You can view the donation page here.

His case echoes that of Billy Ray Harris who returned an engagement ring worth $4,000 to its original owners.

Sarah Darling had accidentally dropped her engagement ring into his cup after giving change, and Mr Harris returned it to her when he next came across her.

Impressed by his integrity, Sarah and her husband Bill Krejci, set up an online donation page as a thank you to Mr Harris who could so easily have sold the valuable piece of jewellery.

Donations poured in from all over the world, and in just three months a staggering $190,000 was raised on the Give Forward site. As a result, he was then able to buy an apartment, a car and now has a part-time job. He was also able to get in touch with his estranged family who thought he was dead.