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> bearer bonds The financial instrument of choice for movie heist villains from the 1970s to early 2000s.

krustyburger 4y ago
They’re still relevant in that there’s always a chance someone may ask you to “do a Die Hard.”
closewith 4y ago
And the Italian Mafia until at least 2009! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiasso_financial_smuggling_case https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiasso_financial_smuggling_ca... > The total value of the counterfeit bonds was estimated at approximately one percent of total U.S. GDP in 2008
- dmix 4y ago
  What a fascinating story. Very mysterious... > The Financial Times also reported that the two suspects "had been released" by Italian authorities. I guess they helped direct the police to the actual counterfeiters. > An earlier billion-dollar bond case was recorded in 2002, when the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, located in Chicago, heard a case from two men who sought $100 billion from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. So two guys tried to bring a fake bearer bond worth $100B and tried to cash it out? That's hilarious. It also sounds like they didn't even get in trouble.
- busyant 4y ago
  Good lord, that story is insane. Some choice excerpts: > ... Japanese nationals in their 50s ... who had attempted to enter Switzerland with a suitcase ... containing what ... appeared to be U.S. Treasury Bonds worth $134.5 billion. Enough to buy a couple of Twitters! > The Financial Times also reported that the two suspects "had been released" by Italian authorities. ?????????????????????? edit: > On September 18, 2009, a similar incident was reported ... by the Italian financial military police ... involving two Philippines nationals smuggling purported U.S. Treasury bonds valued at approximately $180 billion Why do these involve Asian nationals? I'm just not a good enough crook to determine the advantage here... > On February 17, 2012, it was reported that Italian police had seized $6 trillion in counterfeit U.S. bonds.... If you're gonna commit a crime, you might as well swing for the fences, eh? This is Dr. Evil type stuff!
  - tedunangst 4y ago
    > Why do these involve Asian nationals? I'm just not a good enough crook to determine the advantage here... Kansas City shuffle. You find someone who wants to help run the con, but they're actually the mark.

They’re still relevant in that there’s always a chance someone may ask you to “do a Die Hard.”

And the Italian Mafia until at least 2009! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiasso_financial_smuggling_case https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiasso_financial_smuggling_ca... > The total value of the counterfeit bonds was estimated at approximately one percent of total U.S. GDP in 2008

dmix 4y ago
What a fascinating story. Very mysterious... > The Financial Times also reported that the two suspects "had been released" by Italian authorities. I guess they helped direct the police to the actual counterfeiters. > An earlier billion-dollar bond case was recorded in 2002, when the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, located in Chicago, heard a case from two men who sought $100 billion from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. So two guys tried to bring a fake bearer bond worth $100B and tried to cash it out? That's hilarious. It also sounds like they didn't even get in trouble.
busyant 4y ago
Good lord, that story is insane. Some choice excerpts: > ... Japanese nationals in their 50s ... who had attempted to enter Switzerland with a suitcase ... containing what ... appeared to be U.S. Treasury Bonds worth $134.5 billion. Enough to buy a couple of Twitters! > The Financial Times also reported that the two suspects "had been released" by Italian authorities. ?????????????????????? edit: > On September 18, 2009, a similar incident was reported ... by the Italian financial military police ... involving two Philippines nationals smuggling purported U.S. Treasury bonds valued at approximately $180 billion Why do these involve Asian nationals? I'm just not a good enough crook to determine the advantage here... > On February 17, 2012, it was reported that Italian police had seized $6 trillion in counterfeit U.S. bonds.... If you're gonna commit a crime, you might as well swing for the fences, eh? This is Dr. Evil type stuff!
- tedunangst 4y ago
  > Why do these involve Asian nationals? I'm just not a good enough crook to determine the advantage here... Kansas City shuffle. You find someone who wants to help run the con, but they're actually the mark.