Sask. man finds US$4,200 in counterfeit bills in his mailbox
Checking your mail is usually a pretty mundane activity. However, one Regina man got quite the surprise when an envelope full of thousands of dollars of counterfeit U.S. currency appeared in his mailbox.
In early April, Jesse Wiebe discovered a brown envelope marked “return to sender” in his mailbox.
Opening the mystery package revealed 14 sheets of uncut American $50 bills. In total, the package contained $4,200.
“Because it was so close to April Fools, I was wondering if someone was like trying to play a prank on me but that would be a pretty edgy and risky prank,” Wiebe told CTV News.
Following the discovery, Wiebe bought a counterfeit detecting pen and picked up a genuine U.S bill to compare the mystery notes to.
“[They] ended up being counterfeit. I dropped it off with the police yesterday and even then they said they'd seen nothing like this,” he said.
“It was really interesting.”
Wiebe said he has no idea why the address of his business, Wiebe’s Roofing Ltd., was used as the mailing address for the package and hopes the authorities will be able to figure why he was chosen.
However, he was sure to make one thing clear to officers when he handed the counterfeit cash over.
“When I dropped it off with them, I said, ‘Don't you guys dare check my browser history because now it looks like I've been I've been figuring out how to print counterfeit money because I've been looking into it so much,’” he chuckled.
According to Wiebe, the intended recipient of the package was located in New York’s Chinatown.
“I'm not sure what the business is. I looked it up on Google Maps, but it was it was all written in Chinese,” he explained.
Regina police told Wiebe that counterfeit bills would be sent to Canada’s Anti-Counterfeiting Bureau for investigation.
Wiebe reiterated that the quality of the forgery was alarmingly good. However, he was sure to highlight a fatal flaw in whatever plan ultimately led the cash to end up in his mailbox.
“It seems like a pretty intelligent thing, the way that they printed the money but not very intelligent in the way that they didn't have enough postage to get it to its destination,” he laughed.
Wiebe had a simple piece of advice to share for anyone else who may encounter this sort of bizarre experience.
“Don't try to spend it.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.