A superdollar or supernote is an almost perfect counterfeit of a United States banknote, believed to have been made by an unknown organization or government. The identity of the group responsible remains a mystery, and international opinion on the origin of the notes varies; at one point, the government of the United States claimed to have proof that they were produced in North Korea, but it has since ceased publicly advancing or commenting on this accusation, while many in the intelligence community blame Iran or criminal gangs operating out of China or Russia; some have even suggested the possibility of CIA involvement.^[1] The name derives from the fact that the technology incorporated to create the note exceeds that of the original. Currently, it is estimated that 1 in 10,000 bills is a supernote.^[2] For other uses, see Counterfeit (disambiguation). ... FRN redirects here. ... CIA redirects here. ...

The notes

The notes are made with the highest quality ink and paper, designed to recreate the various security features of United States currency, such as the red and blue security fibers, the security thread, and the watermark; even experts need to study a note intensively before determining if it is a forgery. Officially they are known as the PN-14342 family, after the classification system that the United States Secret Service uses. The notes are printed using the intaglio and typographic printing processes. A security thread is a security feature of many bank notes to protect against counterfeiting, consisting of a thin ribbon which is threaded through the notes paper. ... This article is about physical paper watermarks. ... USSS redirects here. ... For other uses, see Intaglio. ... A specimen of roman typefaces by William Caslon Typography is the art and techniques of type design, modifying type glyphs, and arranging type. ...

Possible sources

North Korea

The United States based its accusations against North Korea primarily on the accounts of a few North Korean defectors who allegedly described the operation, though their testimony is widely considered to be suspect; a key witness has since gone into hiding after charges that he fabricated the story for money.^[1][3] These witnesses claimed that the factory where the notes are printed is located in the city of Pyongsong and is part of Division 39.^[4] One defector had taken the notes to experts in the South Korean intelligence agency, who did not believe that they were fakes.^[5] 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. Pyŏngsŏng (평성시, 平城市) is a city in North Korea, the capital city of the province South Pyongan in western North Korea. ... For Korea as a whole, see Korea. ... Todays San Francisco Chronicle was founded in 1865 as The Daily Dramatic Chronicle by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young. ...

In their 2006 accusations, the U.S. theorized that the bills were spread in two ways:

• North Korean diplomats almost always travel through Moscow on their way to other destinations. At the North Korean embassy they receive dollars for their expenses. According to the claims of one defectors, 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 was possible to purchase a $100 bill for US$70 directly from North Korean agents.^[6]

• The British criminal underworld. The chief of staff of the Official Irish Republican Army, Seán Garland, was followed and seen traveling to Moscow and visiting the North Korean embassy along with some ex-KGB officers. Allegedly, Seán Garland then would, with the help of some associate couriers, move this money to Dublin and Birmingham where the notes would be exchanged for pounds or authentic dollars.^[7][8] 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.^[9] Garland was arrested in Belfast, Northern Ireland but fled south to the Republic of Ireland after being released for medical leave; Ireland does not have an extradition treaty with the U.S. He has said he will surrender only if he will be tried by jury in Ireland.

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.^[1][10] In 2000, the Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studies 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."^[11] This page is about negotiations; for the board game, see Diplomacy (game). ... For other uses, see Moscow (disambiguation). ... A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one nation state present in another nation state to represent the sending state in the receiving State. ... The following is the list of those who have served as Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army in the various incarnations of organisations bearing that name. ... The term Official IRA relates to one of the two elements of the Irish Republican Army - the other being the Provisional IRA - that emerged from the ideological split in the Irish Republican movement in 1969-70. ... Seán Garland (born 7 March 1934) is president of the Workers Party of Ireland. ... This article is about the KGB of the Soviet Union. ... For other uses, see Dublin (disambiguation). ... This article is about the British city. ... GBP redirects here. ... This article is about the city in Northern Ireland. ... Northern Ireland (Irish: , Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a constituent country of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... ...

Between 2004 and 2006 the United States frequently called for pressure against North Korea in an attempt to end the alleged distribution of supernotes, though more recently it has ceased publicly accusing the country. It has investigated the Bank of China, Banco Delta Asia, and Seng Heng Bank.^[12][13] The U.S. eventually prohibited Americans from banking with Banco Delta Asia.^[14][15] 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.^[16] Before it dropped the issue, the United States was threatening 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 Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Bank of China Limited (BOC) SEHK: 3988 (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ; often abbreviated as 中行) is one of the big four state-owned commercial banks of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Banco Delta Asia S.A.R.L. is a Macao-based bank, owned by the Delta Asia Financial Group, which has been in operation since 1935. ... Seng Heng Bank Limited, established in 1972, is the second largest locally incorporated bank in Macao. ... North Korea claims to possess nuclear weapons, and the CIA asserts that it 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, while South Korea never accepted it. On January 11, 2006, China announced that its own investigation had reached the same conclusion, and says it believes North Korea cannot escape culpability and will try to convince it to end the activity.^{[citation needed]} South Korea is attempting to play a middle role, encouraging all parties to reach an acceptable conclusion without animosity.^[17] 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.^[18][19] 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.^[20] is the 11th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... South Korean name Chinese name Japanese name Russian name The six-party talks aim to find a peaceful resolution to the security concerns as a result of the North Korean nuclear weapons program. ...

Several North Korean diplomats have been arrested on suspicion of passing the counterfeit bills, but have used diplomatic immunity to evade charges.^[21] Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity and a policy held between governments, which ensures that diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host countrys laws (although they can be expelled). ...

On February 2, 2006, banks in Japan voluntarily enforced sanctions on Banco Delta Asia identical to those imposed by the United States.^[22] 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.^[23] is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sankei Shimbun (産経新聞 Sakei Shinbun) is a Japanese language daily newspaper. ...

CIA

On January 7, 2007, the Sunday edition of the German Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) challenged the official American statement and the accusations on North Korea. Their research suggested that the real source of the superdollars is a secret printing facility close to Washington, D.C., and owned by the CIA. According to FAZ the forged dollars are used to finance secret CIA operations. Printing the money directly would then evade any congressional oversight of these operations. Presently, there has not been an official response by the U.S. government to these accusations.^[24] is the 7th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Publishing house in Frankfurt am Main The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) is an influential high-quality national German newspaper, founded in 1949. ... CIA redirects here. ...

More 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. An author on counterfeiting, Klaus Bender, claims that the notes are of such high quality that they could only be produced by a government agency such as the CIA. The article also goes on to say that the United States is no longer explicitly accusing the North Korean government of producing supernotes.^[1] is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI) is an American publishing company based in Sacramento, California that operates a number of newspapers and websites. ...

See also

• Counterfeit United States currency
• Operation Bernhard - a similar operation run by Nazi Germany during the Second World War with forged Pound Sterling notes.

The Currency of the United States is widely counterfeited. ... Operation Bernhard was the name of a secret German plan devised during the Second World War to destabilise the British economy by flooding the country with forged Bank of England £5, £10, £20, and £50 notes. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... GBP redirects here. ...

References

The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI) is an American publishing company based in Sacramento, California that operates a number of newspapers and websites. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... July 6 is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 178 days remaining. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI) is an American publishing company based in Sacramento, California that operates a number of newspapers and websites. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 242nd day of the year (243rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States Department of the Treasury is a Cabinet department, a treasury, of the United States government established by an Act of U.S. Congress in 1789 to manage the revenue of the United States government. ... A news release or press release is a written or recorded communication directed at members of the news media for the purpose of announcing something claimed as having news value. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Kyodo News (共同通信社 Kyōdō Tsūshinsha) is a nonprofit cooperative news agency based in Minato-ku, Tokyo. ... is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Stephen Mihm. "No Ordinary Counterfeit", New York Times Magazine, July 23, 2006. 
• "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
• "Supernote: Not so Super?"PDF (219 KiB), 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 Jan 11, 2008.