Superdollar
Encyclopedia
A superdollar or superbill is a very high quality counterfeit
United States one hundred-dollar bill
, alleged by the U.S. Government to have been made by an unknown organization or government. Various groups have been suspected of creating such notes, and international opinion on the origin of the notes varies. The U.S. Government believes that these notes are most likely being produced in North Korea
. Other possible sources include Iran
or criminal gangs operating out of China
. The name derives from the fact that the price of the technology incorporated to create the note exceeds that of the original. Some have estimated that 1 in 10,000 bills is a counterfeit of the quality ascribed to supernotes.
, and the watermark
. The notes are printed using the intaglio
and typographic
printing processes.
machines to print its currency, as did the United States and other governments. There has been some speculation that Iran has used these to print superdollars.
n intelligence sources. The testimony of the North Korean defectors is considered by some to be suspect, and one witness has since gone into hiding after charges that he fabricated the story for money. These witnesses claimed that the factory where the notes are printed is located in the city of Pyongsong
and is part of Division 39
. One defector had taken the notes to experts in the South Korea
n intelligence agency, who did not believe that they were fakes. The San Francisco Chronicle
interviewed a North Korean chemist who described the operation; insisting on anonymity, he spoke about the technical details of the process as well as the distribution method, which he said was through North Korean diplomats and international crime syndicates.
Regardless of the reliability of the North Korean defectors' claims, it has been confirmed that North Korea
has passed off such bills in various countries and that the counterfeit bills circulate both within North Korea and around its border with China.
The U.S. Government has theorized that the bills were spread in two ways:
Since 2004 the United States has frequently called for pressure against North Korea in an attempt to end the alleged distribution of supernotes. It has investigated the Bank of China
, Banco Delta Asia
, and Seng Heng Bank. The U.S. eventually prohibited Americans from banking with Banco Delta Asia. However, an audit of the bank disputed U.S. allegations and indicated that the only time Banco Delta Asia had knowingly handled counterfeit money was in 1994 when it discovered and turned over $10,000 in counterfeit $100 bills to local authorities. The United States has threatened North Korea with sanctions over its alleged involvement with the supernotes, though it said those sanctions would be a separate issue from the nuclear one
.
In two sting operations, dubbed "Operation Smoking Dragon" and "Operation Royal Charm", United States agents arrested at least 87 people on charges that included smuggling superdollars.
China has been reluctant to believe that North Korea was the source of the notes, but on January 11, 2006, China announced that its own investigation had reached a conclusion, and said it believed North Korea could not escape culpability and would try to convince it to end the activity. South Korea has attempted to play a middle role, encouraging all parties to reach an acceptable conclusion without animosity. In a major meeting on January 22, 2006, the U.S. laid out its evidence and tried to persuade the Seoul government to take a harder line on the issue and impose similar financial sanctions, but was rebuffed. South Korea prefers to place blame on North Korean organizations rather than the government, believing that this change in rhetoric can mollify North Korea and be conducive to a resumption of the six-party talks
.
Several North Korean diplomats have been arrested on suspicion of passing the counterfeit bills, but have used diplomatic immunity
to evade charges.
On February 2, 2006, banks in Japan
voluntarily enforced sanctions on Banco Delta Asia identical to those imposed by the United States. Later in August 2006, the Sankei Shimbun
reported that North Korea had opened 23 bank accounts in 10 countries, with the likely intent of laundering more superbills.
The U.S. Secret Service estimates that North Korea has produced $45 million in superdollars since 1989. They are produced at the Pyongsong Trademark Printing Factory, which is under the supervision of General O Kuk-ryol
.
, an Israel-based think tank, laid the blame on Syria
: "The Bekaa Valley has become one of the main distribution sources, if not production points, of the 'supernote' – counterfeit U.S. currency so well done that it is impossible to detect."
, the protagonists work a police case involving a ring of Chinese Triad counterfeiters trying to produce a superdollar.
The CSI: Miami
episode "Death Pool 100" centers on a ship that has been producing supernotes.
In the 2001 87th Precinct novel entitled MONEY, MONEY, MONEY by Ed McBain, a major subplot revolves around superdollars, confidently described as coming from the Iranian presses.
In the 2008 video game Grand Theft Auto IV
there are missions in which the player must protect, and later kill, a North Korean who sold superdollars.
In an episode of In Plain Sight
US Marshals must protect a witness who used to forge 100 dollar bills. They believe
it is either North Korea or the CIA that is involved in running the counterfeit ring.
Also featured in the film Hidden Camera (2007), starring Dean Cain
.
In an episode of the TV series Nikita
titled "Echoes", the main character played by Maggie Q
is seen using superdollars she somehow acquired from a North Korean banker.
In the sixth episode of season two of Justified
superdollars are mentioned when an US Marshall explains that all dollar bills in evidence gets scanned and reported to Secret Service to map out the circulation of superdollars.
In The Road to Armageddon by Larry Collins, New Millenium Entertainment 2003, a plot is uncovered about Iranians having possession of 3 nuclear artillery shells, their existence is discovered when a $1.6 million deposit in a bank in Nicosia, Cyprus was about 50% super dollars, they were deposited by a former Russian army officer who sold the shells to Iranians, who paid him in super dollars and real dollars.
Counterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
United States one hundred-dollar bill
United States one hundred-dollar bill
The United States one hundred-dollar bill is a denomination of United States currency. U.S. statesman, inventor and diplomat Benjamin Franklin is currently featured on the obverse of the bill. On the reverse of the banknote is an image of Independence Hall. The time on the clock according to the...
, alleged by the U.S. Government to have been made by an unknown organization or government. Various groups have been suspected of creating such notes, and international opinion on the origin of the notes varies. The U.S. Government believes that these notes are most likely being produced in North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
. Other possible sources include Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
or criminal gangs operating out of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The name derives from the fact that the price of the technology incorporated to create the note exceeds that of the original. Some have estimated that 1 in 10,000 bills is a counterfeit of the quality ascribed to supernotes.
The notes
The notes are said to be made with the highest quality of ink and the cotton/linen blend, and designed to recreate the various security features of United States currency, such as the red and blue security fibers, the security threadSecurity thread
A security thread is a security feature of many bank notes to protect against counterfeiting, consisting of a thin ribbon that is threaded through the note's paper....
, and the watermark
Watermark
A watermark is a recognizable image or pattern in paper that appears as various shades of lightness/darkness when viewed by transmitted light , caused by thickness or density variations in the paper...
. The notes are printed using the intaglio
Intaglio (printmaking)
Intaglio is a family of printmaking techniques in which the image is incised into a surface, known as the matrix or plate, and the incised line or area holds the ink. Normally, copper or zinc plates are used as a surface, and the incisions are created by etching, engraving, drypoint, aquatint or...
and typographic
Typography
Typography is the art and technique of arranging type in order to make language visible. The arrangement of type involves the selection of typefaces, point size, line length, leading , adjusting the spaces between groups of letters and adjusting the space between pairs of letters...
printing processes.
Iran
Before the 1979 Iranian Revolution Iran used the intaglioIntaglio (printmaking)
Intaglio is a family of printmaking techniques in which the image is incised into a surface, known as the matrix or plate, and the incised line or area holds the ink. Normally, copper or zinc plates are used as a surface, and the incisions are created by etching, engraving, drypoint, aquatint or...
machines to print its currency, as did the United States and other governments. There has been some speculation that Iran has used these to print superdollars.
North Korea
The United States based its accusations against North Korea on the accounts of a few North Korean defectors who allegedly described the operation and on South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n intelligence sources. The testimony of the North Korean defectors is considered by some to be suspect, and one witness has since gone into hiding after charges that he fabricated the story for money. These witnesses claimed that the factory where the notes are printed is located in the city of Pyongsong
Pyongsong
P'yŏngsŏng is a city in North Korea, the capital city of the province South Pyongan in western North Korea. The city is located about 32 kilometres northeast of Pyongyang, and was formally established in December 1969. It has a population over 100,000....
and is part of Division 39
Room 39
Room 39 is a secretive Democratic People's Republic of Korea government organization that seeks ways to maintain the foreign currency slush fund of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-il....
. One defector had taken the notes to experts in the South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n intelligence agency, who did not believe that they were fakes. The San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
interviewed a North Korean chemist who described the operation; insisting on anonymity, he spoke about the technical details of the process as well as the distribution method, which he said was through North Korean diplomats and international crime syndicates.
Regardless of the reliability of the North Korean defectors' claims, it has been confirmed that North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
has passed off such bills in various countries and that the counterfeit bills circulate both within North Korea and around its border with China.
The U.S. Government has theorized that the bills were spread in two ways:
- North Korean diplomatDiplomatA diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
s almost always travel through MoscowMoscowMoscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
on their way to other destinations. At the Embassy of North Korea in MoscowEmbassy of North Korea in MoscowThe Embassy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in Moscow is the chief diplomatic mission of North Korea in the Russian Federation. It is located at 72 Mosfilmovskaya Street in the Ramenki District of Moscow....
they receive dollars for their expenses. According to the claims of one defector, forgeries are intermingled with real dollars in about a 1 to 1 ratio. He said that most of the diplomats themselves do not know that they are being given fakes, and claimed that it is possible to purchase a $100 bill for US$50-70 directly from North Korean agents, and sometimes as low as $10-20 in bulk purchases.
- The alleged chief of staff of the Official Irish Republican Army, Seán GarlandSeán GarlandSeán Garland is a former President of the Workers' Party in Ireland.-Early Life:Born at Belvedere Place, off Mountjoy Square in Dublin, Garland joined the Irish Republican Army in 1953. In 1954, he briefly joined the British Army as an IRA agent and collected intelligence on Gough Barracks in...
, was followed and seen traveling to Moscow and visiting the North Korean embassy along with some ex-KGBKGBThe KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
officers. Allegedly, Seán Garland then would, with the help of some associate couriers, move this money to Dublin and BirminghamBirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
where the notes would be exchanged for poundsPound sterlingThe pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
or authentic dollars. His scheme, involving several international crime syndicates and transactions worth millions of dollars, was uncovered in "Operation Mali" and began with a tip-off about a man named Alan Jones. Garland was arrested in BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern IrelandNorthern IrelandNorthern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
but fled south to the Republic of IrelandRepublic of IrelandIreland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
after being released for medical leave. The USA is applying to extradite him from Dublin in 2011.
Since 2004 the United States has frequently called for pressure against North Korea in an attempt to end the alleged distribution of supernotes. It has investigated the Bank of China
Bank of China
Bank of China Limited is one of the big four state-owned commercial banks of the People's Republic of China. It was founded in 1912 by the Government of the Republic of China, to replace the Government Bank of Imperial China. It is the oldest bank in China...
, Banco Delta Asia
Banco Delta Asia
Banco Delta Asia is a Macao-based bank owned by the Delta Asia Financial Group and founded in 1935 by Au Wing Ngok, father of Stanley Au, the current chairman and majority shareholder. It the 10th largest bank in Macao with eight branches and 150 employees.In March 2007, the U.S. Treasury ordered...
, and Seng Heng Bank. The U.S. eventually prohibited Americans from banking with Banco Delta Asia. However, an audit of the bank disputed U.S. allegations and indicated that the only time Banco Delta Asia had knowingly handled counterfeit money was in 1994 when it discovered and turned over $10,000 in counterfeit $100 bills to local authorities. The United States has threatened North Korea with sanctions over its alleged involvement with the supernotes, though it said those sanctions would be a separate issue from the nuclear one
North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
North Korea has declared that it has nuclear weapons and is believed by many to have nuclear weapons. The CIA assesses that North Korea also has a substantial arsenal of chemical weapons...
.
In two sting operations, dubbed "Operation Smoking Dragon" and "Operation Royal Charm", United States agents arrested at least 87 people on charges that included smuggling superdollars.
China has been reluctant to believe that North Korea was the source of the notes, but on January 11, 2006, China announced that its own investigation had reached a conclusion, and said it believed North Korea could not escape culpability and would try to convince it to end the activity. South Korea has attempted to play a middle role, encouraging all parties to reach an acceptable conclusion without animosity. In a major meeting on January 22, 2006, the U.S. laid out its evidence and tried to persuade the Seoul government to take a harder line on the issue and impose similar financial sanctions, but was rebuffed. South Korea prefers to place blame on North Korean organizations rather than the government, believing that this change in rhetoric can mollify North Korea and be conducive to a resumption of the six-party talks
Six-party talks
The six-party talks aim to find a peaceful resolution to the security concerns as a result of the North Korean nuclear weapons program.There has been a series of meetings with six participating states:* The Democratic People's Republic of Korea ;...
.
Several North Korean diplomats have been arrested on suspicion of passing the counterfeit bills, but have used diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity and a policy held between governments that ensures that diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws...
to evade charges.
On February 2, 2006, banks in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
voluntarily enforced sanctions on Banco Delta Asia identical to those imposed by the United States. Later in August 2006, the Sankei Shimbun
Sankei Shimbun
is a daily newspaper in Japan published by the . It has the sixth highest circulation for a newspaper in Japan, and is considered as one of the five "national" newspapers...
reported that North Korea had opened 23 bank accounts in 10 countries, with the likely intent of laundering more superbills.
The U.S. Secret Service estimates that North Korea has produced $45 million in superdollars since 1989. They are produced at the Pyongsong Trademark Printing Factory, which is under the supervision of General O Kuk-ryol
O Kuk-ryol
O Kuk-ryol is a North Korean military general and since April 2009, has been a vice chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea as head of its Operations Department...
.
CIA
Doubt concerning the nature of these supernotes arose on January 10, 2008, in the McClatchy Washington Bureau. The article makes mention of the increasing doubt of testimonies and sources, and of the CIA's involvement. Klaus Bender, an author of works on counterfeiting, claimed that the notes are of such high quality that they could only be produced by a government agency such as the CIA. This 2008 article also states that the United States no longer explicitly accuses the North Korean government of producing supernotes. However, this is no longer the case.Other
Other theories of the bill's origin have become increasingly popular; Iran remains a suspect to many, while others blame independent criminal gangs operating out of Russia or China. In 2000, the Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political StudiesInstitute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studies
The Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studies is an Israel-based think tank with an affiliated office in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1984 by its president, Professor Robert Loewenberg...
, an Israel-based think tank, laid the blame on Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
: "The Bekaa Valley has become one of the main distribution sources, if not production points, of the 'supernote' – counterfeit U.S. currency so well done that it is impossible to detect."
Popular culture
In the U.S. film Rush Hour 2Rush Hour 2
Rush Hour 2 is a 2001 martial arts action comedy film. This is the second installment in the Rush Hour film series. A sequel to the 1998 film Rush Hour, the film stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker who respectively reprise their roles as Inspector Lee and Los Angeles police detective James Carter...
, the protagonists work a police case involving a ring of Chinese Triad counterfeiters trying to produce a superdollar.
The CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation....
episode "Death Pool 100" centers on a ship that has been producing supernotes.
In the 2001 87th Precinct novel entitled MONEY, MONEY, MONEY by Ed McBain, a major subplot revolves around superdollars, confidently described as coming from the Iranian presses.
In the 2008 video game Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV is a 2008 open world action video game published by Rockstar Games, and developed by British games developer Rockstar North. It has been released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles, and for the Windows operating system...
there are missions in which the player must protect, and later kill, a North Korean who sold superdollars.
In an episode of In Plain Sight
In Plain Sight
In Plain Sight is an American dramatic television series on USA Network. The series revolves around Mary Shannon , a Deputy United States Marshal attached to the Albuquerque, New Mexico office of the Federal Witness Security Program , more commonly known as the Federal Witness Protection Program...
US Marshals must protect a witness who used to forge 100 dollar bills. They believe
it is either North Korea or the CIA that is involved in running the counterfeit ring.
Also featured in the film Hidden Camera (2007), starring Dean Cain
Dean Cain
Dean Cain is an American actor. He is most widely known for his role as Clark Kent/Superman in the popular American television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.-Early life:...
.
In an episode of the TV series Nikita
Nikita (TV series)
La Femme Nikita is a Canadian action/drama television series based on the French film Nikita by Luc Besson. The series was co-produced by Jay Firestone of Fireworks Entertainment and Warner Brothers. It was adapted for television by Joel Surnow...
titled "Echoes", the main character played by Maggie Q
Maggie Q
Margaret Denise Quigley , professionally known as Maggie Q, is an American-born actress and former fashion model. She currently stars as the titular character on the action-thriller TV series Nikita.-Early life:...
is seen using superdollars she somehow acquired from a North Korean banker.
In the sixth episode of season two of Justified
Justified (TV series)
Justified is an American television drama series created by Graham Yost. It is based on Elmore Leonard's novels Pronto and Riding the Rap and his short story "Fire in the Hole". Its central character is Raylan Givens, a deputy U.S. Marshal. The series is set in the city of Lexington, Kentucky...
superdollars are mentioned when an US Marshall explains that all dollar bills in evidence gets scanned and reported to Secret Service to map out the circulation of superdollars.
In The Road to Armageddon by Larry Collins, New Millenium Entertainment 2003, a plot is uncovered about Iranians having possession of 3 nuclear artillery shells, their existence is discovered when a $1.6 million deposit in a bank in Nicosia, Cyprus was about 50% super dollars, they were deposited by a former Russian army officer who sold the shells to Iranians, who paid him in super dollars and real dollars.
See also
- Counterfeit United States currencyCounterfeit United States currencyCounterfeiting of the currency of the United States is widely attempted. According to the United States Department of Treasury, an estimated 70 million counterfeit dollars are believed to be in circulation, or approximately $1 in counterfeits for every $12,500 in genuine currency.-Historical...
- Operation BernhardOperation BernhardOperation Bernhard was the codename of a secret Nazi plan devised during the Second World War by the RSHA and the SS to destabilise the British economy by flooding the country with forged Bank of England £5, £10, £20, and £50 notes...
- a similar operation run by Nazi GermanyNazi GermanyNazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during the Second World War with forged Pound SterlingPound sterlingThe pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
notes.
Further reading
- The Fraudsters - How Con Artists Steal Your Money Chaper 10 (ISBN 978-1-903582-82-4) by Eamon Dillon, published September 2008 by Merlin Publishing
External links
- "North Korea and the Supernote Enigma: Allegations that North Koreans are counterfeiting U.S. currency", Global Research, May 7, 2008.
- "North Korea says it has shocking evidence of US plot", Reuters, April 20, 2006.
- "Unification Minister Clams Up on N.K. Counterfeiting", The Chosun Ilbo, December 27, 2005.
- "Seoul U-turn on North Korean Counterfeiting Could Be Fatal", The Chosun Ilbo, December 25, 2005.
- "U.S. accuses North Korea of conspiracy to counterfeit ", San Francisco Chronicle, December 18, 2005.
- "What Are Supernotes?", Slate.com, August 23, 2005.
- "What is a superdollar?", BBC News, June 19, 2004.
- Transcript of BBC TV Show Panorama, Currency News, February 4, 2003.
- Counterfeit U.S. Currency Abroad: Issues and U.S. Deterrence Efforts, General Accounting Office publication, February 26, 1996.
- "Mysterious $100 supernote counterfeit bills appear across world", Kansas City Star January 11, 2008.
- "N. Korea general tied to forged $100 bills", Washington Times June 2, 2009.
- US Bureau of Engraving Anti-Counterfeiting New Features
- How to Detect Counterfeit US Money