I always used to fantasize about finding a bag of money and facing the challenge of laundering it without getting caught.
There are four big hurdles I cam think of:
1) Squaring it with my conscience by convincing myself that it belonged to criminals and it would be impossible to return it to whomever the criminals exploited.
2) Assuming I accomplished 1, Making sure I could take possession of it without being caught on camera, observed by witnesses or followed by any tracking device.
3) Assuming 1 and 2, Figuring out how to spend it or launder it without triggering any red flags, such as serial numbers, unique denominations, suspiciously sudden wealth, et…
4) Assuming all of the above, Resisting the temptation to share my secret with anyone.
With today’s technology, drones, etc., I think it’s impossible.
The only money I ever found was when I was a 10 year old dependent living on the Navy base overseas in Yokosuka, Japan...I was walking down a wintry, windswept street near the Navy Exchange, and I actually saw money blowing down the street!
I ran and gathered up as much as I could before it all disappeared in the gusts of wind, and I got five MPC (Military Payment Currency, funny money) notes, which was a lot back in those days.
There was absolutely nobody on the street, so I wasn’t in the mode of finding who it belonged to!
But to a ten year old kid back in the mid sixties, 5 MPC to a kid was worth a lot of money! (I recall I got a kite and a few plane models with it!)
LOL, 5 MPC to a kid back then is probably similar to an adult today in Biden’s economy picking up a valise of $5,000!
Crazy. I got two medium steak and cheese subs the other day, and it was $35!!!!!