Weekend Special: Counterfeits

First, a small announcement: Our previous weekend specials, like The Modern Graphic Novel or Istanbul, were written in a form that resembled an article. Starting with this issue, our weekend specials will follow the same format as our daily emails: links with a short introduction and a quote. The main reason behind this is simple: time. My time, because I'm not a writer, and it takes me quite a long time to write them. More importantly, it saves you time because you are here to find more good articles to read, and this format allows you to do that faster. You can quickly scan the articles with their introductions and decide whether they pique your interest.

I hope you like this week's selection about counterfeits. It includes some quite wild stuff and some very entertaining reads.

How an Ex-Cop Rigged McDonald’s Monopoly Game and Stole Millions

The Daily Beast • 27 Jul 2018 • ~3450 words

We featured another story on this topic last week, and this one is also just as fun to read. The McDonald's Monopoly game was once a popular promotion, but it was also the target of an elaborate fraud scheme orchestrated by an ex-cop. This story article delves into the intricate details of how the scam was pulled off and the investigation that brought the perpetrators to justice.

The 1980s was America’s “decade of greed,” and it was Jacobson’s job to create instant millionaires. Playing God was intoxicating, as was holding a stranger’s fate in the palm of his hands.

Devouring the Heart of Portugal

Damn Interesting • 1 May 2022 • ~8900 words

In a tale that feels almost too outrageous to be true, Artur Alves Reis, a down-and-out businessman, orchestrates a complex scheme to print counterfeit banknotes for the Bank of Portugal. This piece dives into Reis's audacious attempts at fraud, his intricate web of deception, and the eventual unraveling of his financial ambitions.

Within weeks, columns began to appear in Lisbon newspapers describing a conspiracy of bankers and politicians that were unjustly persecuting a respected local businessman⁠⁠—Artur Alves Reis. It turned out that these columns were actually sponsored content, advertisements paid for by Alves Reis, cleverly designed to blend in with real reporting.

“He Actually Believes He Is Khalid”: The Amazing 30-Year Odyssey of a Counterfeit Saudi Prince

Vanity Fair • 5 Oct 2018 • ~7400 words • Archive Link

Have you ever heard of the counterfeit Saudi prince who managed to dupe investors and luxury hotels for decades? This Vanity Fair article tells the incredible 30-year odyssey of Anthony Enrique Gignac, a Colombian orphan who impersonated a Saudi royal and lived a life of astonishing excess through an elaborate web of lies and fraud.

Then, over dinner one night with the Soffer family at one of Aspen’s hottest restaurants, the prince made a fatal mistake. For his appetizer, he ordered prosciutto.

A Vintage Crime

Vanity Fair • 12 Jun 2012 • ~4800 words • Archive Link

Counterfeits have long plagued the wine world, but the story of Rudy Kurniawan takes this to a whole new level. Dubbed the "Madoff of wine", Kurniawan's elaborate scheme to sell millions of dollars' worth of fake vintage Burgundies is a tale of greed, deception, and the high-stakes world of rare wine collecting.

[Ponsot] discovered that Kurniawan had been buying large stocks of old négociant Burgundies . . . There were some good négociant bottlings from the 1950s and 60s, but these were hardly the kinds of wines that Kurniawan was known to drink. So why was he buying them, and in such sizable quantities?

A Counterfeiting Conspiracy?

New York Times • 27 Mar 2012 • ~4300 words • Archive Link

During the American Civil War, a most unusual counterfeiting operation emerged - one that was perfectly legal. A Philadelphia shopkeeper named Samuel Curtis Upham found a way to mass-produce and sell "fac-simile" Confederate banknotes, undermining the Southern economy while lining his own pockets. It's a fascinating look at how one man's business venture became a unique form of warfare.

. . . the Civil War offered the business opportunity of a lifetime: the ability to forge money without breaking the law. Confederate currency, issued by a government that was emphatically not recognized by the Union, had no legal status in the North, which meant Upham could sell his “fac-similes” with impunity.

Spot the difference: the invincible business of counterfeit goods

The Guardian • 10 May 2022 • ~3200 words

In a world where the trade in counterfeit goods is estimated at $600 billion annually, the battle against fakes has become a complex issue for luxury brands. This piece from The Guardian tries to understand why counterfeiting thrives, exploring the relationship between brand image and consumer behavior.

. . . what is becoming increasingly obvious is that the brands’ business strategy suits the counterfeiters even better. All they have to do is make a copy of the physical product at the lowest possible cost, and they can free-ride on the money that the real manufacturer has spent on advertising, sponsorship deals and all the other costs of building the brand.

Food fraud and counterfeit cotton: the detectives untangling the global supply chain

The Guardian • 16 Sep 2021 • ~5800 words

This article delves into the lengths that one company, Oritain, is going to in order to ensure product authenticity and uncover the realities behind food and textile fraud. It’s an interesting look at how modern commerce can obscure the origins of what we buy and the wide range of efforts to ensure authenticity.

A T-shirt sold in New Delhi might be made of cotton grown in India, blended with other cotton from Australia, spun into yarn in Vietnam, woven into cloth in Turkey, sown and cut in Portugal, bought by a Norwegian company and shipped back to India – and that’s a relatively simple supply chain.

America’s Oldest Private Detective Agency Takes on China’s Fake Products

The California Sunday Magazine • 3 Aug 2017 • ~3900 words • Archive Link

In a world where counterfeiting thrives, Azim Uribe of Pinkerton (yes, that Pinkerton) is on the front lines in China, hunting down fake goods that cost businesses billions. This article delves into the murky waters of the counterfeit trade, exploring the complexities of a system that intertwines legality and corruption, and offering a glimpse into the challenges faced by those trying to protect brand integrity.

It was hard to believe that these three athletes would have a need for fake watches. But Azim said that there are people — some of them very wealthy — who go to men like Kevin to help them cultivate an illusion of generosity at a fraction of the price. Gardeners, housekeepers, and distant cousins outside China have no way of distinguishing real luxury items from fake ones.

The Great Paper Caper

GQ • 1 Nov 2014 • ~7000 words • Archive Link

Meet Frank Bourassa, the man who became America’s most prolific counterfeiter, churning out over $200 million in fake twenties from a garage. This story dives into Frank's wild journey, from his early days in hot-car trafficking to his audacious leap into the world of counterfeiting, revealing the man behind the risky choices, and the unexpected twists that led to his downfall. It's an entertaining look at ambition, crime, and the fine line between success and failure.

He reasoned that if he was going to put himself through the hassle and expense of buying supplies and so on, he should print enough in a single batch to leave himself set for life. He figured something in the $200 million range would suffice.

The Ultimate Counterfeiter Isn't a Crook—He's an Artist

WIRED • 18 May 2012 • ~4500 words

Meet Hans-Jürgen Kuhl, a 65-year-old artist whose journey into counterfeiting reveals a mix of artistry and desperation. This piece takes you inside his mind of an artist-turned-counterfeiter, whose meticulous craftsmanship allowed him to produce some of the most convincing fake US currency ever seen.

Warhol copied currency, and his prints are now priceless. Kuhl copied currency, got busted, and is now broke.

Funny money: How counterfeiting led to a major overhaul of Canada's money

The Globe and Mail • 3 Dec 2011 • ~4100 words • Archive Link

In 2004, a routine cash pickup revealed a massive counterfeiting operation in Canada, leading to a startling realization: the Bank of Canada was losing the battle against fake bills. This article explores the fascinating history behind the rise of counterfeiting in Canada and the innovative solution the country has adopted to combat this threat to its financial system.

The trail . . . led RCMP to a print shop in an industrial area of North Toronto, where officers found millions of dollars worth of fake $20 bills stacked in rows. In all, RCMP figured out the men had produced $6.7-million of fake notes at this site alone. Jaws dropped as the officers walked in the room.

How One Man Hacked His Way Into the Slot-Machine Industry

WIRED • 15 Jul 2011 • ~4000 words

In this tale of ambition and risk, Rodolfo Rodriguez Cabrera transforms from a radio repairman in Latvia to a controversial player in the slot machine industry. This article dives into Cabrera’s unconventional journey, detailing how his curiosity led to hacking IGT’s technology and creating a thriving, albeit illegal, business. Discover how one man's tinkering with slot machine electronics led him down a path of counterfeiting and international intrigue.

He knew that converting machines without IGT's OK wasn't legal. But this was Latvia, he figured, where capitalism is wild and woolly. Surely no one would notice if he made a few bucks on the side by hacking IGT's tech.

Inside the Knockoff-Tennis-Shoe Factory

New York Times • 19 Aug 2010 • ~4300 words • Archive Link

How does a small factory in China can churn out convincing knockoff sneakers? This piece takes you inside the world of counterfeit shoe manufacturing in Putian, where entrepreneurs study authentic designs and create clones that flood global markets. It explores the complex interplay of legality, demand, and the blurry lines between imitation and innovation in the sneaker industry.

Lin’s goals seemed in line with China’s de facto counterfeiting policy: to discourage it as a matter of law, but also to hope, as a matter of laissez-faire industrial-development policy, that the skills being acquired will eventually result in strong legitimate businesses.

No Ordinary Counterfeit

New York Times • 23 Jul 2006 • ~4600 words • Archive Link

This story delves into North Korea's involvement in counterfeiting U.S. currency. These sophisticated fakes are more than just a criminal venture; they symbolize deeper tensions between nations and raise questions about economic warfare and diplomacy.

After the indictments were released, U.S. government and law-enforcement officials began to say in public something that they had long said in private: the counterfeits were being manufactured not by small-time crooks or even sophisticated criminal cartels but by the government of North Korea.