Real 100 Dollar Bill With Chinese Writing

Saskatchewan

Canadian bills with Chinese characters saying they are fake still count as counterfeit: Judge

Counterfeit bills with Chinese characters caused a provincial court judge to delay the sentencing of a suspect who was caught with the bills in order to determine whether or not they actually qualified as fakes.

Decision stems from evidence provided by RCMP

Police warned the public about fake bills circulating in Saskatoon in early 2017. In total, roughly 9,000 bills were used in transactions across Canada according to evidence submitted by RCMP. (Submitted by Saskatoon Police Service)

Canadian currency bearing Chinese characters that say it's fake still count as counterfeits under law, according to a judge who sentenced a man late last month.

The bills caused a stir in 2017 when they appeared across Canada.

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The Chinese characters, emblazoned in contrasting colours on the bills, translate to say "not to be used as real currency" and "bills to be used as counting practise," according to police reports issued last spring.

According to Judge Quentin Douglas Agnew, who issued the decision in provincial court, the bills qualify as counterfeits despite the writing.

Due to the prominence of the Chinese characters on the bills, he was unsure if they would actually qualify as counterfeit and adjourned the matter to ensure the bills qualified as counterfeit.

He examined Monopoly money as a reference point for his decision.

"It should be clear that Monopoly money is not counterfeit money," Agnew's decision read. "Even if a person has Monopoly money in their pocket, separate and apart from the game to which it is associated, no one would suggest that they are in possession of counterfeit money."

The decision noted the opposite end of the argument would be someone carrying near-perfect replica of Canadian money. Such a person would clearly be guilty of possession of counterfeit money.

There is no clear dividing line as to what is and isn't counterfeit.

Agnew's decision to label the bills as counterfeits stemmed from information provided by the RCMP.

Police found roughly 9,000 fake bills in varying denominations had been passed as genuine since Nov. 2017 across the country according to his decision.

"All of the listed harms of counterfeiting ultimately arise from the false money being passed as genuine," Agnew's decision read. "Accordingly, a piece of paper or a coin will constitute counterfeit money if it is reasonably possible that it will be accepted in a commercial transaction by a person of ordinary prudence and vigilance."