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Fake $1 billion Federal Reserve notes found in SoCal apartment
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 3/14/06 | AP

Posted on 03/14/2006 8:15:05 PM PST by TFFKAMM

Federal authorities investigating a man who smuggled money into the country have seized 250 counterfeit bank notes in billion-dollar denominations, they announced Tuesday.

The 250 bogus Federal Reserve notes had 1934 issue dates and were stained to make them look old, but no such currency exists, said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Virginia Kice.

Federal authorities have not charged the man, Tekle Zigetta, in connection with the counterfeit notes, but warned that the sale or transfer of fake securities has increased in recent years. Scam artists typically sell phony government bank notes at a discounted value or use them as collateral to secure loans or make purchases.

"A billion is a substantial number, we want to ensure that no one was duped or fleeced by the passing of these documents," Kice said. "We also want to publicize this story to see if anyone out there has additional information to help us build a case."

Authorities opened an investigation into alleged currency smuggling by Zigetta in 2002 when he arrived at Los Angeles International Airport with $37,000 in undeclared cash following a trip to South Korea.

Zigetta, 45, returned to South Korea during the probe, and was indicted in December on one count each of bulk cash smuggling, failure to declare more than $10,000 in cash, and making a false statement to federal authorities, Kice said.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Government; US: California
KEYWORDS: counterfeit; crime; currency; darwinaward; dumbcriminals; funnymoney; immigrantlist; scam; teklezigetta
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1 posted on 03/14/2006 8:15:09 PM PST by TFFKAMM
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To: TFFKAMM

How can it be a fake if the original never existed?


2 posted on 03/14/2006 8:16:00 PM PST by Sir Gawain
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To: TFFKAMM
A counterfeit billionaire.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

3 posted on 03/14/2006 8:16:33 PM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: TFFKAMM

You only have to spend it once.


4 posted on 03/14/2006 8:18:30 PM PST by ChadGore (VISUALIZE 62,041,268 Bush fans. We Vote.)
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To: Sir Gawain
How can it be a fake if the original never existed?

Exactly. It's "art". Anybody stupid enough to accept them as real is too damn stupid to possess real currency.

5 posted on 03/14/2006 8:18:50 PM PST by Hank Rearden (Never allow anyone who could only get a government "job" attempt to tell you how to run your life.)
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To: TFFKAMM

"Uhhh...I need change for a billion please......"


6 posted on 03/14/2006 8:19:12 PM PST by BossLady
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To: TFFKAMM
Does it have a picture of Hildebeast on one side and Soros on the reverse? (If it doesn't it's a fake, I have a wallet full of them but have yet to find a Convenience Store that can make change)
7 posted on 03/14/2006 8:19:29 PM PST by TexasTransplant (NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSET)
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To: goldstategop

Oh, no... he just had to get greedy.. 100's were just toooooo small for him. Serves him right, greedy monster.


8 posted on 03/14/2006 8:19:58 PM PST by Lion in Winter (The older I get the more I want to see ISLAM EXPOSED AS THE SHAM it is...)
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To: TFFKAMM

It's a damn good thing FDR didn't have 250 Billion he could get his hands on in 1934


9 posted on 03/14/2006 8:19:59 PM PST by digger48
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To: BossLady

Sure, you want that in 20 million dollar bills or 5million dollar bills...?


10 posted on 03/14/2006 8:21:42 PM PST by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly.)
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To: Hank Rearden
Anybody stupid enough to accept them as real is too damn stupid to possess real currency.

HR, my first thought was ... where on earth do you expect to find someone who can make change ... LOL

11 posted on 03/14/2006 8:22:12 PM PST by caryatid (Jolie Blonde, 'gardez donc, quoi t'as fait ...)
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To: TFFKAMM

"I met a man who claimed he was a billionnaire.

"I said,'Oh, yeah? Prove it.'

"He pulled out two half-billion dollar bills out of his wallet.

"They had pictures of Bert Convy on them."


Stephen Wright


12 posted on 03/14/2006 8:23:20 PM PST by decal (My name is "decal" and I approve this tagline)
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To: Sir Gawain
How can it be a fake if the original never existed?

How can this whole idiotic story be true? Arresting a guy for a $1B note? ROFL. What they should have done is let keep it and try to pass it. See if anyone takes it and gives him change. THAT is the moron that should be arrested.

13 posted on 03/14/2006 8:25:01 PM PST by GLDNGUN
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To: TFFKAMM
This is similar to the bad counterfeiters who accidentally made $18 bills. Figuring that people in the south were not too bright, they came to a country store here in Siler City to pass them.
"Hey pal," one of them asked, "Can you change an $18?"
"Sure," came the reply. "How do you want it? Two nines, or three sixes?"
14 posted on 03/14/2006 8:30:25 PM PST by wolfpat (Dum vivimus, vivamus.)
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To: BossLady

I gave my brother-in-law a check for $100 million on his birthday once, just to see if he would be enough of an ass to try to cash it. For a split second, he looked like he had just hit the lottery, then he just set it on fire.


15 posted on 03/14/2006 8:31:08 PM PST by speedy
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To: TFFKAMM

I hope nobody arrests me...I have a green piece of paper that say "One kajillion bazillion dollars." (Interestingly enough, it has Hillary's picture on it.)


16 posted on 03/14/2006 8:32:45 PM PST by beezdotcom
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To: TFFKAMM; martin_fierro; cyborg; dighton; Tijeras_Slim
With a plan like that, he might have stolen eleventy BILLION dollars!
17 posted on 03/14/2006 8:32:55 PM PST by Petronski (I love Cyborg!)
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To: speedy

You're lucky he didn't have you arrested for passing a bogus check. [smirk]


18 posted on 03/14/2006 8:33:40 PM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: GLDNGUN

even if you wanted to make change, where would you put it? or carry it?


19 posted on 03/14/2006 8:36:01 PM PST by going hot (Happiness is a momma deuce)
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To: TFFKAMM
drevil

One Billion dollars! 

20 posted on 03/14/2006 8:36:03 PM PST by 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten (When Bush says "we mustn't act like clowns," the RATS don their multi-colored wigs and greasepaint.)
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