How could my bank charge me for a friend's mistake?

A friend of mine gave me a personal check for $5,000. I deposited it in my bank account.
Now, my friend is from France (but he's an American citizen), and actually we have been in France for the past year. So, the check was drawn on a French bank. Actually, the bank is international -- it even has a corporate office here in America (NY), but not a branch bank.

I expected that I would have to wait at least 30 days before I can expect to see the funds in my account, since the check is drawn on an international account.

So, after about 30 days or so, my bank determined that the check was no good (NSF), and THEY CHARGED MY BANK ACCOUNT $120!!!!
They explained to me (after the fact of me depositing the check)that those are the fees that the international bank charges, and that my bank also has some fees that it charges.
Anyway, to say the least, I was angry. I did not write the check, so why am I being punished for someone else's mistake

Why do you think it would be?

And, then to make it worse, prior to them charging me $120, they sent "verification" to me that that their special dept. (that deals with international checks) had received the check & they would begin to process it; but they sent me someone else's information!!! It was actually a business that had accepted an international check! So, I get some business' personal financial information in the mail, and I'm like "HUH?" And, then a few weeks later they charged my account $120 because of my friend's NSF check. I'm thinking -- you all are shoddy and should be put out of business. It was so bizarre!

Charges for returned checks are quite common. Domestically, they're more likely to be only $15-20. Doesn't matter who wrote the check. It's your account, and they have no recourse against the party who wrote the check. Your only recourse is to try to collect reimbursement from the person who gave you the check.

Returned check.........I'd kick my friend's @ss. And he would cover the check or I'd kick his @ss again............