I may be wrong, but this seems hinky to me. If true, sounds like the teller is new and doesn't understand the policy. Unless this is some kind of investment account or a money market deal where the conditions are spelled out (and I can't imagine any account where you need proof of why your withdrawing cash, granted, I'm in the US) in your agreement, you should be able to take out the daily limit. Hell, you should be able to call in and have that limit temporarily increased if you need to pay something in cash. Same with a debit card. He could have just venmo'd that to his buddy too.