A 26-year-old boy in Vienna risks a prison sentence of one to ten years after ordering counterfeit money. But he’s not the only one who has faced criminal consequences for his illegal purchase. Because during his trial a strange coincidence comes to light.
“Young people usually do not know that this is not a trivial offense, but a crime punishable by a prison sentence of one to ten years,” says lawyer Sascha Flatz in the trial of a 26-year-old Austrian. “A lot of people think it’s like stealing chocolate.” The young man ordered counterfeit money online and the package was detected by customs sniffer dogs.
Researchers rang the doorbell
“I was home alone for a long time and was bored with the dark web. There I came across the blog of a dirty money dealer with good reviews.” Out of curiosity, the Viennese made a test purchase. Later he ordered 30 people in their twenties and 30 people in their fifties for 350 euros. He did not want to circulate the flowers. But this question was not even discussed: instead of the postman, the researchers rang the doorbell. The known suspect revealed his source to the officers.
Now the story gets strange: the Federal Criminal Investigation Department, the Counterfeit Money Bureau, then conducted a secret operation to obtain information about the origin and quality of the counterfeit banknotes and to investigate possible lenders. The BKA ordered twenty counterfeit banknotes of 20 and 50 euros from the darknet provider; the purchase was paid for with Bitcoins. The notes were probably sent from Belgium.
The postman with the long fingers is shown
The highlight: this package did not arrive either. A Viennese postman stole the order from the Federal Criminal Police and took the package with the counterfeit money instead of putting it in the mailbox. The postman with the long fingers was reported. Been a fool! A package of counterfeit money, ordered by the BKA, also disappeared in Belgium. Only the third order for banknotes actually reached the researchers.
The Austrian Post flower thief still has his trial ahead of him, while the accused 26-year-old has already been convicted by the jury. And – certainly because of his neat, polite and remorseful attitude during the trial – he got away with a lenient sentence of a one-year suspended prison sentence, which was legally unenforceable. “This means he can take the job he was promised,” says lawyer Flatz with relief.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
