Cartridge tampering technique allows man in US to counterfeit over $1 million in banknotes.
Sydney Morning Herald reports that 36 year-old Heath Kellogg was able to produce more than $1.1 million (€844,000) fake $50 bills and integrate them into the US economy by manipulating printers, scanners and cartridges – a tactic used in two-thirds of counterfeiting cases.
Kellogg, who was arrested in a suburb of Atlanta in November after “months of old-fashioned detective work” by federal agents, was part of a criminal circle and was purportedly known as “the printer” due to his illegal practices.
Malcolm Wiley, an agent in the Atlanta Secret Service field office commented that “his bills were pretty good”, adding that it was uncommon for counterfeiters to produce fake $50 notes, with $20 notes being the most common, followed by $100 bills.
Agents found a newly purchased offset press at Kelloggs’ home, along with computer equipment and partly burned money.
Altogether, six people have been charged in connection to the case, including Kellogg and his 63 year-old father, with the counterfeiting being described as a “family enterprise”. All have pleaded not guilty.