When Gerardo Gamboa discovered a brown bag containing $300,000 in cash left in his cab, his first thought was to do the right thing and contact his dispatcher and turn in the cash - and he immediately did just that.

Why might a cab driver do such a thing - especially in this economy at the height of the Christmas season when everyone is looking for a little extra happy for the holidays? It was a matter of honor for Gamboa, who attributed his mindset to his upbringing.

"I don't care from $10 to higher. My dignity is not for sale, and that's the way I am. That's the way our parents taught us when I was a kid," cabbie Gerardo Gamboa told CNN affiliate KVVU. "All I wanted to do was just call my dispatcher and return it, and this is the only chance I have to show cab drivers in Las Vegas are not bad people."

Mr. Gamboa's honesty and integrity were likely appreciated by the unnamed poker star who later reclaimed his cash after a 4 hour police investigation that proved his ownership. Once the poker player realized what he had lost, he contacted the cab company and asked for help. He was so distraught over the loss that he wanted to shoot himself in the had according to a cab company official. The cab company had contacted the authorities when Gamboa turned in the cash and the investigation was to be sure the money was returned to the rightful owner.

According to officials of the Yellow Checker Star cab company, this is the most cash in the 'lost and found' category that they've seen in 32 years. The story of the return of the cash will make cabbies around the world very proud of the story of the integrity of Gamboa's actions.

Mr. Gamboa was rewarded by the cab company for doing the right thing with a steak dinner for two, recognition as "Driver of the Year" and $1000. But for Gamboa, doing the right thing was reward enough in and of itself.

"I did the right thing, that's it," Gamboa told KLAS-TV. "They call us sin city. But it's not. It's angel city."