Seizure in Vienna

“Operation Wildcat” exposes counterfeiters

The suspect circulated "fake fifties" - he kept this wildcat in his hotel room.

(Bild: zVg, Krone KREATIV)

The Federal Criminal Police Office put a stop to a "fake Fuffziger" in Vienna. The Russian-Ukrainian dual national had put 64 counterfeit bills into circulation.

Although more and more people are paying by card or cell phone, counterfeit money is currently experiencing a renaissance. While there were hardly any "fake fifties" in circulation during the pandemic, the number of counterfeit money offenses rose massively again last year. The Oesterreichische Nationalbank recorded around 8,000 cases last year - the same level as before coronavirus.

Following meticulous investigations by the Federal Criminal Police Office, one suspected counterfeiter has now been handcuffed in Vienna.

Counterfeiters face up to ten years in prison
The Russian-Ukrainian dual national was recently taken away by investigators from a 4-star hotel in the 4th district. The man, who is around 40 years old, is said to have put a whole series of invalid 50-euro bills into circulation.

Curious: when the officers stormed the hotel room, they found a (rather overweight) wild cat next to the suspect. In contrast to the counterfeiter, "Archibald" was very aggressive and had to be anaesthetized by experts from Schönbrunn Zoo before he could be transferred to the Vienna Zoo. There he is now undergoing a diet - his master is in custody.

Paradoxically, like most other forms of crime, the counterfeiting business has also shifted to the internet, where you can simply order flowers online - and risk up to ten years in prison.