488: Frank Bourassa | The World’s Greatest Counterfeiter Part One

Setup

Frank Bourassa's journey into counterfeiting began with meticulous planning and substantial investment. He built a print shop on a farm, ensuring it was discreet and secure to avoid detection. Frank's operation required a significant financial gamble, investing $320,000 to set up a high-end print shop, which was all the money he had left 1. He emphasized the importance of quality, stating, "We're either going really, really high end or we're not doing this because I don't want to go to prison for 50 years for making 50 grand" 1. Acquiring the right equipment was a complex process, involving the inspection of multiple printing presses before finding the perfect one 1.

   

Tactics

In the day-to-day operations, Frank employed intricate counter-surveillance tactics to protect his counterfeit money and avoid detection. He split his cash into five different stashes, minimizing risk by ensuring no single runner knew the location of more than one stash 2. Frank's crew was carefully selected from trusted individuals he had known for years, ensuring loyalty and discretion 3. He explained the necessity of these precautions, noting, "If you get suspected in any way, you're done" 4. This level of caution was crucial to maintaining the secrecy and security of his operation.

   

Printing

The printing process was a labor-intensive and precise operation, requiring constant vigilance and attention to detail. Frank's team worked at night to maintain invisibility, printing $250 million over five months 5. The process involved cutting, counting, and bundling the counterfeit bills, with each step requiring meticulous care to avoid errors 6. Frank described the operation as "factory work," emphasizing the repetitive and demanding nature of the task 7. Despite the challenges, the industrial equipment used ensured high-quality replication, crucial for the success of the counterfeit operation.