Drop me an email and I will send you a name and phone number that may help, especially if your friend opens a new First USA BA card to which the miles can be added. I recommend opening the new account before asking for the credit, since that (a) is a gesture of good faith and (b) will make it much simpler for FirstUSA to help. As with any card, I believe that you have a month or so in which to return the cards without owing the annual fee, if you haven't used them.

And remember to be polite when you are asking FirstUSA or any other business for a favor. Think it through from their point of view before you ask.

Success will probably depend on whether or not FirstUSA can determine where the miles went. Are you sure that BA did not create a second account for your friend in which the miles were deposited? I have no idea which company (BA or FirstUSA) benefits if the account number is invalid and the miles don't post, but my guess is that it's BA, not FirstUSA. Check this with FirstUSA so that you are not asking them to pay BA twice.