As Lehman Brothers was breathing its last gasp of air, two managers of state-owned KfW Development Bank plunked $503 million into the ailing company. This costly mistake led to their suspension Thursday.

Germany's Economy Minister Peter Glos and Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck identified the bungling KfW management board members as Peter Fleischer and Detlef Leinberger. They will be suspended indefinitely until the incident is cleared.

Fleischer and Leinberger transferred the money Monday, the same day Lehman filed for bankruptcy and made the largest filing in U.S. history. Bank officials explained it was a technical mistake as part of a swap deal based on long-term contractual obligations. There is no word yet if KfW could still recover the funds.

The Monday placement, together with previous investments in Lehman Brothers, rendered KfW $761 million (536 million euro) poorer, according to bank spokesman Wolfram Schweickhardt.

The financial blunder prompted Bild newspaper to describe KfW as "Germany's dumbest bank."