The US Secret Service has now confirmed that the Sh2 billion in 100 US dollar notes seized at Barclays Bank Queensway Branch in March are fake.
According to an investigative agent with the US law enforcement agency, Gilbert Gunn, 13,194 specimen notes worth 1.3 million dollars were examined before it was concluded that the seized notes are counterfeit.
The notes which were clustered into 43 categories ranging from 1996 to 2004 had been forwarded to them by Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
“My examination of the above 13,194 specimens determined that they are counterfeit because they do not contain authentic features that are found on the US 100 Federal Reserve Notes (1996 and 2004 style),” stated in court papers filed before Justice John Mativo.
Gunn looked for nine features contained in a genuine US dollar note which include red and blue fibers in the currency, intaglio otherwise referred to as raised printing, typographic printing, security thread and a water mark.
He also checked two special features only in the 2004 style dollar 3D security ribbon and a colour shifting bell in the inkwell.
Officers seized the notes in a safe at Barclay’s Queensway Branch in Nairobi with businessman Erick Adede, insisting his cash was genuine.
Adede wanted the court to force the State to release his money, stating that it is genuine.
He refuted claims that he was a money launderer and accused the DCI and Director of Public Prosecutions of switching his dollar bills with fake notes.
