Outlaw Tech (2017–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - North Korean Counterfeit Plot - full transcript

Narrator: GANGSTERS
WITH TIES TO NORTH KOREA

MAKE THE MOST ADVANCED
COUNTERFEIT MONEY IN THE WORLD.

Walters: IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST
FAKE $100 BILLS EVER MADE,

THOUGHT TO FINANCE THE
GOVERNMENT'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM.

Narrator: CYBER-SAVVY,
MODERN-DAY BANK ROBBERS

STEAL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS,

ALL WITHOUT LEAVING
THEIR LAPTOPS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST
CYBER SCAMS IN HISTORY.

Narrator: AND A FORMER KGB AGENT
IS ATTACKED

WITH A NEARLY UNDETECTABLE
CHEMICAL ELEMENT.

THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE
IS ACTUALLY RADIATION POISONING.



WHOEVER DID THIS HAD A LOT
OF MONEY AND A LOT OF POWER.

Narrator: TECHNOLOGY...

IT'S A NEW, WIDE-OPEN,

WILD WEST WITH
ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES.

FROM HI-TECH HEISTS
TO REAL-LIFE HACKS

TO THE REACHES OF CYBERSPACE,

TECHNOLOGY IS THE LATEST WEAPON

IN THE WAR BETWEEN
MODERN-DAY CROOKS

AND CUTTING-EDGE COPS.

IN THE WRONG HANDS,
TECHNOLOGY IS CRIMINAL.

IT'S ESTIMATED THAT AS MUCH
AS $220 MILLION IN HI-TECH,

COUNTERFEIT CASH IS
CIRCULATING IN THE U.S.

AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

IN AN EFFORT TO FIGHT
THESE CURRENCY CRIMINALS,



IN 1996,

THE UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT INTRODUCES

A NEW $100 BILL

WITH THE MOST SOPHISTICATED
SECURITY FEATURES IN THE WORLD.

THE REAL U.S. $100 BILLS

THAT WERE
IN CIRCULATION AFTER 1996

AND BEFORE 2013 HAD SEVERAL
KEY SECURITY FEATURES

THAT ARE, IN FACT,
PRETTY DIFFICULT TO REPRODUCE.

THEY USED A SECURITY STRIP

RUNNING ON THE LEFT SIDE
OF FRANKLIN'S PORTRAIT.

IT GOES PINK WHEN
UNDER ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT.

THERE'S ALSO A WATERMARK.

WHEN YOU'RE HOLDING
THE BILL TO LIGHT,

YOU SEE FRANKLIN'S FACE
APPEARING ON

THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PORTRAIT.

THE U.S.
USED COLOR-SHIFTING INK

FOR THE NUMERAL 100
AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT OF THE BILL.

WHEN IT'S TILTED, IT SHIFTS
FROM GREEN TO BLACK.

THEY ALSO DO MICROPRINTING.

AT THE NUMERAL 100
IN THE LEFT CORNER,

YOU CAN SEE THE TEXT "USA 100."

AND ON THE LEFT SIDE
OF FRANKLIN'S LAPEL,

YOU CAN NOTICE THE TEXT
"THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA."

Narrator: ENGINEERING MONEY IS AN
INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED PROCESS

WHERE EACH STEP USES
CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGIES

TO MAKE THE BILL
AS SECURE AS POSSIBLE.

THE PROCESS BEGINS
WITH THE PAPER,

WHERE COTTON AND LINEN
ARE BOILED UNDER PRESSURE

TO CREATE THE EXACT

RIGHT MIXTURE TO GIVE PAPER
THE EXACT RIGHT FEEL.

THE NEXT STEP AFTER THE PAPER

WOULD BE THE ACTUAL
PLATES TO PRINT.

Narrator:
THESE STATE-OF-THE-ART PLATES

ARE HAND-CRAFTED
BY SPECIALIZED ARTISANS.

NEXT, A HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED
PRESS PRINTS THE BILLS.

Hilbert: THAT PARTICULAR PRESS
CAN PRINT EXTREMELY FINE DETAIL

THAT REMAINS LEGIBLE
UNDER REPEATED HANDLING.

IT'S A PAINSTAKING PROCESS.

THE PRINTED SHEETS
ARE PRINTED FIRST

WITH GREEN INK ON THE BACK,

THEN ALLOWED TO DRY
FOR ONE TO TWO DAYS

BEFORE THE FRONTS ARE PRINTED
WITH BLACK INK.

Hammack: THE NEXT STEP IS
THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PRESS

WHERE THE TREASURY SEAL
IS PRESSED INTO THEM,

AS WELL AS THE SERIAL NUMBERS.

Narrator: OPTICALLY VARIABLE INK
IS PRINTED SEPARATELY.

Walters: FINALLY, THE BILLS NEED
TO BE CUT, AND THEN DISTRIBUTED.

Narrator: THE MULTIPLE LEVELS
OF TECHNOLOGY

ARE MEANT TO MAKE
COUNTERFEITING U.S. CURRENCY

VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE.

Walters: COUNTERFEIT MONEY HAS
REAL DAMAGES.

IF YOU ARE THE RECIPIENT
OF COUNTERFEIT MONEY,

YOU ARE BEING DEFRAUDED

DIRECTLY BY THE PERSON
WHO GAVE IT TO YOU.

THIS WAS IMPACTING THE ECONOMY

AND THE VALUE OF THE DOLLAR

AND THE TRUSTWORTHINESS
OF THE DOLLAR.

U.S. OFFICIALS
HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY CAREFUL

TO TRY TO STOMP IT OUT.

Narrator:
ELIMINATING ROGUE CURRENCY

IS EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

IF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT
THINKS ITS MONEY

CAN'T BE HACKED,
IT'S SORELY MISTAKEN.

EIGHT YEARS AFTER
THE SOPHISTICATED

1996 BILL IS ISSUED,

THE MOST ADVANCED
COUNTERFEIT MONEY

ANYONE HAS EVER SEEN BEGINS
FLOODING INTO THE U.S.,

MIMICKING ALL
THE SECURITY FEATURES

THE GOVERNMENT HAS
SO CAREFULLY PUT INTO PLACE.

COUNTERFEIT BILLS THAT CANNOT

BE DETECTED WITH THE NAKED EYE
ARE REFERRED TO

WITHIN GOVERNMENT CIRCLES
AS "SUPER NOTES."

THESE SUPER NOTES ARE
FIRST DETECTED IN AN UNDERCOVER

FBI OPERATION KNOWN
AS SMOKING DRAGON,

INITIALLY SET UP TO SEIZE

AND TRACK CONTRABAND
CIGARETTES.

THE MAIN THING
WE WERE LOOKING AT,

WHEN THIS CASE FIRST BEGAN,

WAS COUNTERFEIT CIGARETTES.

THEY WERE COUNTERFEITING
MARLBOROS

OVER IN CHINA
AND NORTH KOREA,

SHIPPING THEM HERE
INTO THE UNITED STATES,

AND THEY WERE
BEING FILTERED DOWN

INTO THE RETAIL MARKETS.

THERE WAS ACTUALLY MORE MONEY
IN COUNTERFEIT CIGARETTES

THAN THERE WERE
IN HEROIN AND COCAINE.

Narrator: TWO YEARS IN,
THE OPERATION SCOPE

GROWS WELL BEYOND
CONTRABAND CIGARETTES.

Hamer: IT EXPANDED INTO ECSTASY
AND CRYSTAL METH.

IT EXPANDED INTO STOLEN CARS.

SOON, THEY WERE BRINGING
OTHER COUNTERFEIT GOODS OVER,

INCLUDING VIAGRA,
POSTAGE STAMPS, CLOTHING.

EVENTUALLY, WE WERE DEALING

WITH ABOUT FIVE
DIFFERENT CRIMINAL CELLS

UNDER THIS ASIAN
CRIMINAL SYNDICATE.

Narrator: UNDERCOVER AGENT
BOB HAMER'S BASE OF OPERATIONS

IS A COVERT WAREHOUSE
RIGHT IN THE PORT OF L.A.

Hamer: I KIND OF SOLD MY STORY

THAT MY GRANDFATHER HAD DIED.

HE'D LEFT ME WITH A TRUST FUND.

I BOUGHT REAL ESTATE.
I HAD A WAREHOUSE.

I HAD ACCESS TO LONG-HAUL
TRUCK DRIVERS,

AND OCCASIONALLY,

ESSENTIALLY WHEN THE MOONS
LINED UP CORRECTLY,

I COULD GET THEIR GOODS
THROUGH CUSTOMS.

Narrator: THE SURPRISINGLY
CUTTING-EDGE WAREHOUSE

IS SECRETLY RUN BY THE FBI.

Hilbert: WHICH MEANS,
IT'S RIGGED TO MONITOR

EVERYTHING COMING IN, MONITOR
EVERYTHING GOING OUT.

THE VIDEO CAMERAS,
RECORDING DEVICES,

THE WHOLE THING IS SET UP
JUST FOR THESE STING OPERATIONS.

Hamer: SO, WHEN THE BAD GUYS
WOULD COME TO MEETINGS WITH ME,

WE COULD WATCH THEM
PICKING UP THE CIGARETTES

AND TAKING THEM.

WHEN WE'D HAVE MEETINGS
IN MY OFFICE,

ALL THOSE WERE VIDEOTAPED.

IT WAS JUST RIGHT
OUT OF HOLLYWOOD.

Narrator: CHAO TUNG WU,
ALIAS JOHN WU,

IS PART OF
THE CRIMINAL SYNDICATE

THE FBI IS INVESTIGATING.

HE'S HAMER'S BEST CONNECTION
AFTER TWO YEARS UNDERCOVER.

Hamer: JOHN WU WAS INTERESTING.

HE JUST ALWAYS SEEMED
TO BE IN A GREAT MOOD.

HE WAS CONSTANTLY JOVIAL,

GIGGLED, HE LAUGHED,

BUT HE MAY HAVE BEEN ONE

OF THE MOST DANGEROUS MEN
IN AMERICA,

ONLY BECAUSE WHATEVER
IT WAS YOU WANTED,

HE WAS ABLE TO DO IT.

Narrator: BOB HAMER AND THE FBI
DECIDE TO SEE JUST HOW FAR HE'LL GO.

Hamer: IN YOUR NEXT CONTAINER
OF COUNTERFEIT CIGARETTES,

CAN YOU THROW
IN A CASE OF AK-47?

[ GUNSHOTS ]

JUST THEN, YOU WOULDN'T
BELIEVE THIS

IF YOU SAW IT IN A MOVIE,

A FLAT-BED, NATIONAL GUARD
TRUCK WENT BY WITH A TANK.

AND HE LOOKS AT THIS TANK,

AND HE POINTS TO ME, HE SAYS,
"I GET YOU TANK."

HE SAID, "I GET YOU ANYTHING
BUT NUCLEAR WEAPONS."

Narrator:
INCLUDING COUNTERFEIT MONEY.

Walters: BOB WAS POSING AS
A CIGARETTE SMUGGLER

WHEN ONE OF HIS
CONTACTS, TO HIS SURPRISE,

OFFERED HIM VERY
HIGH-QUALITY $100 BILLS.

Narrator: THOSE EXPERTLY CRAFTED
$100 BILLS ARE SUPER NOTES,

THE HOLY GRAIL OF THE FBI
STING OPERATION.

Hamer: IT HAD JUST ESSENTIALLY
COME OFF THE PRESSES.

THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT MOMENT

BECAUSE THIS WAS WELL BEYOND
THE COUNTERFEIT CIGARETTES

AND THE CRYSTAL METH.

THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT,
AT LEAST IN THE FBI,

WE HAD NOT SEEN BEFORE.

ONCE WE WERE TARGETING
COUNTERFEIT CURRENCY,

WE BROUGHT SECRET
SERVICE ABOARD.

THE SECRET SERVICE IS
THE U.S. GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY

THAT'S TASKED
WITH FIGHTING COUNTERFEITERS.

Narrator: WU'S OFFERING THESE
HOT-OFF-THE-PRESSES SUPER NOTES

FOR 35 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR,

WITH A MINIMUM BUY-IN
OF $1 MILLION.

Hammack:
BOB HAMER TOOK THE SAMPLE

AND BASICALLY TOLD HIS CONTACT

THAT HE NEEDED
TO THINK ON IT.

HE WOULD HAVE MADE UP A STORY

AS TO WHY HE WANTED
TO THINK ABOUT IT,

WORK IT OUT,
FIGURE OUT WHETHER OR NOT

HE REALLY WANTED TO GET INVOLVED
IN THIS COUNTERFEITING GAME.

ON THE BACK END, WHAT HE'S
REALLY DOING IS TAKING THE MONEY

TO THE SECRET SERVICE

TO GET THEM
TO VERIFY WHAT IT IS.

Hamer: THE SECRET SERVICE
IN LOS ANGELES

WEREN'T ABLE TO DETERMINE
THAT, IN FACT,

THESE BILLS WERE COUNTERFEIT.

THE ANALYST SAID THAT
THIS WAS REAL MONEY,

AND I JOKED, AND I SAID,

"THEY'RE WILLING
TO SELL ME REAL MONEY

FOR 35 CENTERS ON THE DOLLAR,

SO I'M GONNA MORTGAGE MY HOUSE

AND BUY AS MUCH
OF THE REAL MONEY

THAT THEY'RE WILLING
TO SELL ME."

Narrator: ONLY THE LATEST
IN MONEY-PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

CAN MAKE CURRENCY
THAT LOOKS THIS REAL.

BUT EXACTLY WHAT HIGH-TECH
TOOLS DID THEY USE,

AND WHO IS BEHIND IT?

IT'S AN ACT OF WAR
TO COUNTERFEIT

ANOTHER NATION'S CURRENCY.

JOHN WU TELLS ME, ON CAMERA,

THAT THE MONEY
IS MADE IN NORTH KOREA.

SO NORTH KOREA WAS,
IN ESSENCE,

COMMITTING AN ACT OF WAR.

Narrator: USING A POTENT MIX

OF TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING,
AN INTERNATIONAL RING

OF MODERN COUNTERFEITERS
INFILTRATES THE U.S.

WITH FAKE $100 BILLS.

THESE SUPER NOTES ALMOST FOOL
THE SECRET SERVICE AND THE FBI.

ALMOST, BUT NOT QUITE.

UNDERCOVER FBI AGENT BOB HAMER
GETS A SECOND OPINION

ABOUT THE SUPER NOTE
FROM THE SCIENTIFIC EXPERTS

IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL.

SO, HE PROVIDED IT TO THE
BUREAU OF ENGRAVING

TO GET IT TESTED FURTHER.

Narrator: THE EXACT TESTING
PROCESS IS CAREFULLY GUARDED.

THE SECRET SERVICE
DOESN'T REALLY LIKE

TO TALK PUBLICLY ABOUT EXACTLY
HOW IT TESTS U.S. CURRENCY

TO SEE WHETHER
IT'S COUNTERFEIT OR NOT.

THEY DON'T REALLY WANT
TO HELP THE COUNTERFEITERS

MAKE BETTER FAKE CURRENCY

BY GIVING AWAY THE SECRETS
OF THEIR TRADE CRAFT.

BUT IT'S THOUGHT THAT THEY HAVE
THE TECHNOLOGY TO CARRY OUT

VERY DETAILED CHEMICAL
ANALYSES OF THE PAPER

AND THE INK THAT WAS USED,

AND TO CONDUCT DEEPER ANALYSES
IN THEIR WASHINGTON, D.C. BUREAU

THAN IS POSSIBLE
IN MANY OTHER LOCATIONS.

THE SECRET SERVICE
HAS AN IMMENSE COUNTERFEIT

LIBRARY IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

AND WHEN A SUPER NOTE
IS DETECTED,

THE FIRST THING THEY TRY
TO DO IS FIGURE OUT

IF THE SUPER NOTES
ARE IDENTICAL

TO ANY OF THE MODELS

THAT THEY HAVE
IN EXISTENCE ALREADY.

Narrator: THIS PARTICULAR BILL
HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE,

AND ITS ELITE QUALITY
IS UNSURPASSED.

IT'S THE NEXT GENERATION
OF SUPER NOTE.

THE COUNTERFEIT BILL WAS
BETTER THAN THE REAL BILL.

Narrator: EXCEPT FOR TWO
SMALL DETAILS.

Hamer:
THE REAL BILL HAD IMPERFECTIONS,

ESSENTIALLY, RUNS IN INK.

THEY WERE MICROSCOPIC.
YOU COULD ONLY SEE THEM

IF THE BILL WERE MAGNIFIED
FAR BEYOND ANYTHING

THAT THE HUMAN EYE COULD SEE.

THE FIRST IMPERFECTION
IS IN THIS ARM.

IT GOES PAST THE CIRCLE
IN THE ORIGINAL BILL.

BUT IN THE COUNTERFEIT,
IT STOPS AT THE CIRCLE.

THE SECOND IMPERFECTION

IS AT THE BASE
OF THIS LAMP POST.

THIS LINE IS VERY THIN
IN THE ORIGINAL.

IT'S THICK IN THE COUNTERFEIT.

Hilbert: ALL THE LEGITIMATE
BILLS THAT WERE CREATED

WOULD HAVE
THE SAME IMPERFECTIONS

BECAUSE OF WHERE
THEY CAME FROM.

IN THE CASE
OF THE COUNTERFEIT BILLS,

THEY DIDN'T
HAVE THAT IMPERFECTION

BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW
THAT IT ACTUALLY EXISTED.

THEIR PLATES WERE BETTER
THAN THE PLATES

USED BY THE BUREAU OF ENGRAVING
AND PRINTING.

Narrator: THIS IS THE BEST SUPER
NOTE THE U.S. HAS EVER SEEN,

AND THEY WANT TO GET
THEIR HANDS ON SOME MORE.

Hamer: SO NOW, I WAS TASKED
WITH ACQUIRING MORE SUPER NOTE.

WE WERE LOOKING FOR THE FULL
EXTENT OF THE CONSPIRACY,

HOW THEY WERE BEING
DISTRIBUTED OVERSEAS,

HOW THEY WERE GETTING
INTO THE UNITED STATES,

AND WHERE THEY WERE
BEING PRODUCED.

Narrator:
THE ANSWER TO THE LAST QUESTION

HAS TROUBLING,
WORLDWIDE, POLITICAL,

AND TECHNOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS.

Hamer:
JOHN WU TELLS ME ON CAMERA

THAT THE MONEY
IS MADE IN NORTH KOREA.

IT IS DISTRIBUTED THROUGH
THE RUSSIAN EMBASSY IN BEIJING,

AND THEN SHIPPED OVER
TO THE UNITED STATES.

Walters: FOR A LONG TIME,
NORTH KOREA HAS BEEN SUBJECT

TO CRIPPLING SANCTIONS

THAT DAMAGED ITS ECONOMY

AND KEPT IT FROM ENGAGING

IN THE NORMAL METHODS OF TRADE

THAT WOULD ALLOW IT
TO RAISE FOREIGN CURRENCY.

AND SO, IT TURNS
TO ILLICIT ACTIVITIES.

AND IN FACT,
THEY HAVE BEEN CALLED

SOMETIMES THE SOPRANOS STATE

FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE
IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES.

I THINK MOST INTELLIGENCE PEOPLE
WILL TELL YOU

THAT WHATEVER IS DONE
IN NORTH KOREA IS DONE

WITH THE APPROVAL OF
THE NORTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT,

SO ANY CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
THAT'S BEING DONE THERE

IS BEING DONE WITH THE APPROVAL
OF NORTH KOREA.

Narrator: IT'S NOT HE FIRST TIME
COUNTERFEIT MONEY

HAS BEEN LINKED TO NORTH KOREA.

Walters:
WE DO KNOW THAT MANY DEFECTORS

FROM NORTH KOREA
HAVE TOLD STORIES

ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS
INSIDE NORTH KOREA,

AND HOW THEY CAME TO BE

SO GIFTED AT PRODUCING
COUNTERFEIT U.S. CURRENCY.

THIS WAS A BILL THAT NORTH KOREA
WAS COUNTERFEITING IN 1989.

Walters: IN THE EARLY DAYS, THEIR
EFFORTS WERE REALLY SIMPLE.

THEY WOULD TAKE $1 BILLS

AND BLEACH THEM
AND REPRINT THEM AS $100s.

GRADUALLY, THEY GOT
A LOT BETTER.

Narrator: WITH THIS SUPER NOTE,

NORTH KOREA HAS RAISED
THEIR COUNTERFEITING TECHNOLOGY

TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL
OF SOPHISTICATION.

TO PRODUCE HIGH-QUALITY,
COUNTERFEIT U.S. CURRENCY,

NORTH KOREA HAD TO MASTER
VARIOUS TECHNIQUES

OF CURRENCY MAKING.

THE SUPER NOTES
WERE REMARKABLE

BECAUSE THEY USED THE SAME KIND
OF RAISED PRINTING,

THE SAME SECURITY FEATURES.

THE COUNTERFEITERS
WERE ABLE TO REPLICATE

THE RECIPE FOR THE PAPER
THAT GOES INTO U.S. CURRENCY,

WHICH IS 75% COTTON,
25% LINEN.

THE NEXT STEP AFTER THE PAPER

WOULD BE THE ACTUAL
PLATES TO PRINT.

NOW, THOSE PLATES
WOULD HAVE TO COME

FROM EITHER A PHOTOGRAPH
OR A DRAWING

OR ONE OF THE ACTUAL
BILLS THEMSELVES,

AND THEY WOULD LITERALLY HAVE
TO HAVE AN ARTISAN COME IN

AND HANDCRAFT A PLATE
JUST LIKE THAT.

Hammack: NEXT,
THE NORTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT

WOULD HAVE TO ACQUIRE
ON THE BLACK MARKET

A HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED
PRINTING PRESS KNOWN

AS THE INTAGLIO.

Jiggetts: THE PRINTING PRESS
IS ACTUALLY HARD TO ACQUIRE

BECAUSE ONE,
IT COSTS $5 MILLION,

AND TWO, IT'S
A CONTROLLED PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.

YOU JUST CAN'T HAVE JOE BLOW OFF
THE STREET GO AND BUY ONE.

THE OPTICALLY VARIABLE INK
IS PRINTED SEPARATELY.

Hilbert: IT'S MADE BY A SINGLE
COMPANY OUT OF SWITZERLAND.

IT IS SPECIFIC TO EACH COUNTRY.

THE SUPER NOTE ACTUALLY
UTILIZED THE U.S. MIX OF COLORS,

AND HOW THAT WAS OBTAINED
BY THE COUNTERFEITERS,

IN THIS CASE,
THE NORTH KOREANS, IT'S UNKNOWN.

NORTH KOREA'S REPUTATION
AS BEING THE BEST COUNTERFEITER

IN THE WORLD
IS WELL-DESERVED.

Narrator:
IT'S AN EXPENSIVE PROCESS,

AND NOBODY OUTSIDE
OF NORTH KOREA

CAN SAY HOW LUCRATIVE IT'S BEEN.

Walters:
THERE ARE WIDE-RANGING ESTIMATES

ABOUT HOW MUCH
THEY ACTUALLY MADE,

RANGING ANYWHERE FROM A FEW
MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR

TO MANY DOZENS
OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR.

Narrator: NORTH KOREA
MANUFACTURES FAKE MONEY TO SURVIVE,

BUT THE COUNTRY
IS SAID TO HAVE OTHER,

EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE
AND DANGEROUS GOALS.

Walters: CURRENCY COUNTERFEITING
IS THOUGHT TO FINANCE

THE GOVERNMENT'S
NUCLEAR PROGRAM.

ANOTHER MOTIVATION FOR
COUNTERFEITING THE U.S. DOLLAR

IN PARTICULAR WAS TO WAGE A KIND
OF ECONOMIC WARFARE

ON THE UNITED STATES.

Narrator: THE DAMAGE
TO THE U.S. GOVERNMENT

AND ALL U.S. CITIZENS
COULD BE ASTRONOMICAL.

IT COULD BE SO DEVASTATING

THAT THEN-PRESIDENT
GEORGE W. BUSH

BEGINS RECEIVING WEEKLY REPORTS

ABOUT THE OPERATION.

UNDER THE SCRUTINY
OF THE WHITE HOUSE,

THE FBI MAKES ITS MOVE
TO CATCH THE MAIN PLAYERS.

FIRST,
UNDERCOVER AGENT HAMER ORDERS

$1 MILLION IN FAKE BILLS.

NEXT, HE SECRETLY RECORDS

EVERY MINUTE OF THE TRANSACTION

WITH A MINIATURE CAMERA.

Hamer: AN UNDERCOVER CASE...
THE BEST EVIDENCE

YOU CAN HAVE ARE
THOSE RECORDINGS

BECAUSE IT PROVES
THAT THESE BAD GUYS

ARE ENGAGING IN CRIMINAL ACTS.

Narrator: JOHN WU ISN'T
WORKING ALONE.

Hamer: JOHN WU INTRODUCED ME

TO AN INDIVIDUAL BY
THE NAME OF WILSON LU.

IT WAS WILSON LU'S BROTHER

WHO WAS DEALING DIRECTLY
WITH THE NORTH KOREANS

AND WITH THE PRODUCTION
OF THE COUNTERFEIT

GOODS OVER IN NORTH KOREA.

I FIRST MET WILSON LU AT THE
RITZ-CARLTON PASADENA HOTEL.

WE SET UP THROUGH HIM
THE PURCHASE OF THE SUPER NOTE.

Narrator:
BUT THE RISKS ARE HIGH.

THE PEOPLE WE WERE DEALING
WITH WERE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS,

AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO CROSS 'EM,
OR WE COULD END UP DEAD.

Narrator: IN THE HI-TECH,
HIGH-STAKES WORLD

OF COUNTERFEIT CASH,

CRIMINALS LINKED
TO NORTH KOREA USED THE LATEST

IN PRINTING TECHNOLOGY
TO MAKE MILLIONS.

THE FBI IS ONTO THEM,

AND UNDERCOVER AGENT
BOB HAMER PLACES

AN ORDER FOR $1 MILLION
OF THE FAKE SUPER NOTES.

THE BOGUS BILLS ARE SHIPPED,

CAREFULLY CONCEALED
WITHIN LEGITIMATE CARGO.

THE MONEY CAME OVER
IN ROLLS OF FABRIC.

IT WAS A 20-FOOT CONTAINER
OF HUNDREDS OF ROLLS OF FABRIC.

THE MONEY WAS ACTUALLY SECRETED
IN FOUR OF THESE ROLLS.

EACH OF THE ROLL HAD A NUMBER
ON THE END OF THE ROLL,

SO WE WERE TOLD WHICH NUMBERED
ROLLS CONTAINED THE MONEY.

WE PULL IT OUT, AND WE'VE TAKEN
THE CELLOPHANE OFF THE FABRIC,

AND WE BEGIN TO UNROLL IT,

AND THERE'S THE MONEY
TAPED TO THE ROLLS OF FABRIC.

IT WAS EXCITING TO KNOW
THAT WE HAD OBTAINED

THE SUPER NOTE IN QUANTITIES

THAT THE FBI
HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE,

AND IN QUANTITIES THAT
THE SECRET SERVICE

WAS EXCITED ABOUT, AS WELL.

THAT WAS THE ADRENALINE RUSH.

IN ANY UNDERCOVER CASE,
THERE ARE ALWAYS RISKS,

AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE,
JOHN WU,

ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION,

REMINDED ME THAT THE PEOPLE
WE WERE DEALING

WITH WERE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS,

AND THAT WE DIDN'T
WANT TO CROSS THEM,

OR WE COULD END UP DEAD.

Narrator:
ALTHOUGH THEY'RE UNABLE TO TOUCH

THE COUNTERFEITERS BACK
IN NORTH KOREA,

AFTER THREE YEARS
OF TRACKING THEM,

HAMER AND THE FBI
ARREST THE HUGE

NETWORK OF CONTRABAND SMUGGLERS

ON AUGUST 22, 2005.

Hamer: THERE WERE 87
ARRESTS THAT WEEKEND

BETWEEN OPERATION SMOKING DRAGON

AND A SIMILAR CASE
ON THE EAST COAST.

THOSE ARRESTS INCLUDED
WILSON LU AND JOHN WU.

APPROXIMATELY $4.5 MILLION
OF THE SUPER NOTE

WAS SEIZED AS A RESULT
OF THIS INVESTIGATION.

Narrator: IN 2013, JOHN WU
PLEADS GUILTY TO SMUGGLING,

BUT DIES OF UNKNOWN CAUSES
BEFORE HE CAN BE SENTENCED.

OPERATION SMOKING DRAGON SHUTS
DOWN THE LARGEST

SUPER NOTE SMUGGLING
OPERATION IN HISTORY

AND TRIGGERS
A TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION

IN HOW U.S. CURRENCY IS MADE.

Hamer: AS A RESULT OF THIS CASE,

AND BECAUSE OF OTHER
INVESTIGATIONS,

THERE IS A NEW $100 BILL

THAT HAS NEW
SECURITY DEVICES IN IT.

Walters: THE $100 BILL THAT WAS
RELEASED IN OCTOBER OF 2013

IS A MARVEL OF ENGINEERING.

IT IS THE MOST SOPHISTICATED
PIECE OF CURRENCY,

OF PAPER CURRENCY, EVER PRODUCED
BY THE UNITED STATES.

SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS VERSION
OF THE NOTE,

THERE'S THE PORTRAIT WATERMARK,

A FAINT IMAGE OF BEN FRANKLIN
IN THE BLANK SPACE

TO THE RIGHT OF THE PORTRAIT,

VISIBLE FROM BOTH
SIDES OF THE NOTE,

AND THE SECURITY THREAD ON THE
LEFT SIDE OF THE PORTRAIT,

GLOWING PINK
WITH ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT.

THE ENHANCED COLOR-SHIFTING
INK CHANGES FROM COPPER TO GREEN

FOR THE LOWER-RIGHT NUMERAL

OF $100 AND THE BELL NEXT TO IT.

MICROPRINTING WAS ALSO IMPROVED.

YOU NEED MAGNIFICATION
TO SEE THE TINY TEXT

"THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA"

ON BENJAMIN FRANKLIN'S
JACKET COLLAR,

"USA 100" AROUND THE BLANK SPACE
CONTAINING THE PORTRAIT,

AND "ONE HUNDRED USA"
ALONG THE GOLDEN QUILL

AND SMALL "100s"
IN THE NOTE BORDERS.

THEN THERE'S THE 3-d
SECURITY RIBBON.

TILT THE NOTE BACK AND FORTH

WHILE FOCUSING ON
THE BLUE RIBBON.

YOU'LL SEE THE BELL CHANGE
TO 100s AS THEY MOVE.

Walters:
IT'S BASICALLY A MACHINE

THAT TURNS LIGHT
INTO SECURITY FEATURES.

IT'S VERY COMPLICATED,
AND IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL,

AND I HAVE NO IDEA
HOW THEY DO IT.

THIS CASE WAS ONE OF
THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MY CAREER.

IT WAS LONG-TERM.

IT WENT FAR BEYOND ANYTHING
WE EVER WANTED TO DO.

IT SHOWED THE EXTENT
AND THE VALUE

OF AN UNDERCOVER OPERATION

IF IT'S ALLOWED
TO PROCEED.

WE WENT FROM COUNTERFEIT
CIGARETTES

TO DRUGS TO THE SUPER NOTE.

Narrator: EVER SINCE OPERATION
SMOKING DRAGON,

THERE ARE FEWER SUPER NOTE
APPEARANCES IN THE U.S.

Walters: IF NORTH KOREA SEEMS

TO NOT BE PRODUCING FAKE
$100 BILLS ANYMORE,

IN A WAY, THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS.

EITHER NUMBER ONE,
THEY'VE GOTTEN OUT OF THE GAME

AND ARE LAYING LOW,

OR NUMBER TWO,
THEY'VE GOTTEN SO GOOD

THAT WE CAN'T DETECT
THE DIFFERENCE ANYMORE.

Narrator: REAL OR COUNTERFEIT,

CASH HAS ALWAYS BEEN
THE PRIME TARGET FOR THIEVES.

IN THE OLD DAYS,
BANK ROBBERY WAS SIMPLE...

A GUY, A GUN, AND A GETAWAY CAR.

OVER TIME, AS SECURITY
TECHNOLOGY IMPROVED,

BANK ROBBERS WERE THWARTED
BY BULLETPROOF GLASS,

CCTVs, DYE PACKS, AND
IMPREGNABLE VAULTS.

IN TODAY'S
HYPER-CONNECTED WORLD,

MODERN BANK ROBBERS
NEED NOTHING MORE THAN A LAPTOP,

AN INTERNET CONNECTION,

AND SOME SMARTS TO GET AWAY
WITH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

IN 2007, THE BIGGEST CASE

OF CYBER BANK ROBBERY

AND IDENTITY THEFT
IN U.S. HISTORY

FLEECES ITS VICTIMS
OF NEARLY $100 MILLION

AND LANDS THE MASTERMIND
ON THE FBI'S MOST WANTED LIST.

THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS WHEN
A TECH-SAVVY VIRGINIA RESIDENT

SEES A PROBLEM
WITH HIS BANK ACCOUNT.

HE'S ACTUALLY AN AIDE

AT THE TIME
TO SENATOR STROM THURMOND.

AND HE WENT TO HIS BANK ACCOUNT

AND DISCOVERED
THAT APPROXIMATELY $280,000

HAD BEEN MOVED FROM HIS HOME
EQUITY LINE OF CREDIT

AND HAD BEEN TRANSFERRED OUT
OF THE BANK ACCOUNT.

IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL
AMOUNT OF MONEY.

HE WAS VERY UPSET.

WHEN HE SEES THAT
ALL THIS MONEY HAS BEEN TAKEN,

HE'S A FORMER TREASURY AGENT.

HE'S GOING TO CALL
EVERYBODY HE KNOWS.

HE'S GOING TO CALL THE SECRET
SERVICE, THE LOCAL POLICE,

AND EVENTUALLY,
HE ENDS UP WITH THE FBI

WHO HAVE THE JURISDICTION
OVER THESE CASES.

Narrator: FBI CASE AGENT MICHAEL
NAIL BEGINS INVESTIGATING.

Good: MICHAEL COMES IN AND SAYS
TO ME... I'LL NEVER FORGET IT.

I'M SITTING AT MY DESK,
AND HE SAYS,

"HEY, THIS THING IS"...
MEANING THIS CASE...

"LOOKS LIKE IT'S A LOT BIGGER
THAN WHAT WE THOUGHT."

AND I SAID, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"
HE SAID,

"THIS ISN'T JUST
A SINGLE VICTIM.

WE'VE GOT MULTIPLE BANKS,
MULTIPLE VICTIMS."

IT REALLY WAS
A MODERN-DAY BANK ROBBERY.

HE WAS ABLE TO SIT
IN A HOTEL ROOM

AND MAKE ALL THIS MONEY
BY USING A LAPTOP, A CELLPHONE,

AND A WIRELESS INTERNET CARD.
THAT WAS IT.

THAT'S ALL HE NEEDED.

Narrator: WHEN A HI-TECH
ROBBER HACKS HIS WAY

INTO AN ONLINE BANKING SYSTEM,

$280,000 DISAPPEAR FROM A FORMER
U.S. TREASURY AGENT'S ACCOUNT.

Good: IT REALLY WAS
A MODERN-DAY BANK ROBBERY.

Narrator:
IT WILL TAKE THE FBI MANY MONTHS

TO LEARN THE NAME
OF THEIR SUSPECT.

Good: TOBECHI ONWUHARA.
WE REFERRED TO HIM AS TOBE.

TOBE WAS ABLE TO SIT
IN THE HOTEL ROOM

AND MAKE ALL THIS MONEY
BY USING A LAPTOP, A CELLPHONE,

AND A WIRELESS INTERNET CARD.

THAT WAS IT.
THAT'S ALL HE NEEDED.

Narrator: THE CYBER-CROOK
ISN'T WORKING ALONE.

Good: HE PUT TOGETHER
A PRETTY DIVERSE GROUP.

A VERY LOYAL GROUP OF PEOPLE.

TOBE WAS VERY CAREFUL

AT WHO HE ALLOWED
INTO HIS INNER CIRCLE.

Narrator: THE INNER CIRCLE OF
BANDITS IS DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS.

FIRST, THERE ARE THE RESEARCHERS

WHO SEEK OUT HIGH-VALUE TARGETS,

ALONG WITH THEIR
PERSONAL INFORMATION

AND THEIR PASSWORDS,

ALL BY USING
EVERYDAY TECHNOLOGY.

Monsegur: SO WHAT THESE GUYS
ARE DOING IS,

THEY WORK TOGETHER IN TEAMS
LOOKING FOR TARGETS.

THEY PROFILE THESE INDIVIDUALS,
LOOKING FOR WEAKNESSES

IN THEIR OWN PERSONAL SECURITY.

THIS COULD BE APPLIED ONLINE.

IT'S REALLY FAIRLY EASY

TO FIND INFORMATION
ABOUT PEOPLE ONLINE.

IT'S LIKE SURFACE-LEVEL
INFORMATION.

JUST SEARCHES,
SOCIAL MEDIA SEARCHES,

BASIC STUFF THAT PEOPLE ARE
POSTING ABOUT THEMSELVES.

GOING THROUGH TAX RECORDS
TO FIGURE OUT

WHERE YOUR HOUSE IS
AND HOW MUCH MONEY YOU'VE MADE.

WHAT SCHOOL THEY WENT TO,
WHERE THEY GREW UP IN.

THIS IS INFORMATION
THAT IS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF

BY THESE FRAUDSTERS.

IT COULD ALSO APPLY PHYSICALLY,

WHERE THEY SIMPLY
FOLLOW SOMEONE.

TOBE TARGETED PEOPLE
WHO WERE WORTH,

WHAT HE PERCEIVED TO BE,
A LOT OF MONEY.

HE WOULD ACTUALLY SIT
IN THE PARKING LOT OF BANKS

AND WATCH PEOPLE PARK THEIR CAR
AND WALK IN THE BANK,

AND SO IF HE SAW A NICE CAR,

SOMETHING THAT LOOKED
TO BE EXPENSIVE,

HE'D TAKE DOWN
THAT LICENSE NUMBER,

AND THEN HE WOULD GO FROM THERE
AND DO THE RESEARCH.

HAVE HIS FOLKS DO
THE RESEARCH ON IT.

SO, THEY ESSENTIALLY
PUT TOGETHER A DOSSIER,

IF YOU WILL, OR A PROFILE
ON EACH ONE OF THE VICTIMS.

Narrator: THE GOAL...
GATHER ENOUGH INFORMATION

TO BYPASS THE BANK'S
SECURITY QUESTIONS.

Good: THEY TOOK THE TIME
TO REALLY UNDERSTAND

WHO THESE PEOPLE WERE.

Narrator: THIS IS IDENTIFY THEFT
AT ITS MOST FUNDAMENTAL,

AND ONCE THE PROFILE
IS COMPLETE,

THE SECOND GROUP,
THE CALLERS, TAKES OVER.

Monsegur: TOBE AND HIS GANG
WOULD SPOOF THEIR MARKS

OR THEIR TARGETS BY CALLING
INTO A BANKING INSTITUTION,

PRETENDING TO BE
THE VICTIM.

Jiggetts: SPOOFING IS BASICALLY
CHANGING THE PHONE NUMBER

AND THE NAME THAT SHOWS UP
ON THE CALLER I.D.

OF THE PERSON
THAT IS PICKING UP THE PHONE,

SO THEY THINK
IT'S THE ACTUAL PERSON.

IT'S A SERVICE THAT'S AVAILABLE.

YOU COULD EVEN GET
A SPOOFING PHONE CARD

TO DO THIS FOR YOU.

[ PHONE RINGS ]

Good: SO, TOBE COULD PRETEND
THAT HE'S MR. SMITH

BECAUSE IT LOOKS
LIKE MR. SMITH'S

PHONE NUMBER IS COMING UP
WHEN HE MAKES A CALL.

Narrator: BUT THE CALLERS
DON'T JUST FAKE THE NUMBER.

SOCIAL ENGINEERING ALLOWS THEM

TO TAKE ON THEIR
TARGET'S IDENTITIES.

Good: HE HAD A SCRIPT
WHERE HE WOULD SAY,

"I'M HAVING TROUBLE
GAINING ACCESS TO MY ACCOUNT.

I THINK I'VE FORGOTTEN
MY PASSWORD."

AND THEN HE WOULD
SOCIALLY ENGINEER

THE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE BANK

TO HELP HIM GAIN ACCESS
TO THE BANK ACCOUNT.

SECURITY QUESTIONS
IN ANY INSTITUTION

ARE ALMOST PRETTY
MUCH UNIVERSAL.

WHAT'S YOUR MOTHER'S
MAIDEN NAME?

WHAT IS YOUR PET'S NAME?

WHAT SCHOOL DID YOU GO TO?

MOST OF THIS INFORMATION
WAS ALREADY OBTAINED BY TOBE

AND HIS GANG DURING
THEIR INITIAL

INFORMATION-GATHERING SESSION.

Narrator: HUMAN NATURE IS ALWAYS A
FACTOR, EVEN IN THE HI-TECH WORLD.

SO, WHAT TOBE WAS
DOING WAS HUMAN HACKING.

HUMAN HACKING IS BASICALLY
HACKING A PERSON

INTO DIVULGING INFORMATION
THAT MOST OF THE TIME,

THEY DON'T EVEN
KNOW THEY'RE DOING

BECAUSE THEY THINK YOU'RE LEGIT.

SO, YOU COULD BE
IMPERSONATING SOMEBODY

OR JUST HAVE CHARM AND GET THEM
TO GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION.

Good: TOBE WOULD SOMETIMES
ANSWER THE QUESTION WRONG

NOT ONCE, NOT TWICE,
BUT SOMETIMES THREE TIMES

AND STILL BE ABLE
TO WORK HIS WAY

THROUGH WITH
THE BANK REPRESENTATIVE

BECAUSE HE WAS ABLE
TO MAKE THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE

AND PUT THEM AT EASE.

Narrator:
AS THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES,

THE FBI BEGINS
FOLLOWING THE MONEY.

ONCE SIPHONED OUT OF
THE HACKED ACCOUNTS,

THE STOLEN FUNDS ARE IMMEDIATELY
TRANSFERRED OVERSEAS

AND FUNNELED BACK
TO TOBE ONWUHARA.

Hilbert: SO, TOBE CAN JUST
TRANSFER IT FROM BANK

TO BANK TO BANK TO BANK.

IN 2004, TOBE'S OPERATION
WAS VERY SOPHISTICATED.

NOW, CON MEN HAVE BEEN AROUND
FOR YEARS, DON'T GET ME WRONG,

BUT THE ABILITY
TO CON BANKS,

AND THEN CAUSE ELECTRONIC
TRANSFERS OF MONEY,

AND THEN TO EXTRACT THAT MONEY

IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT
DOESN'T COME BACK TO YOU,

AND THEN TO HIDE THE MONEY
IN DIFFERENT PLACES,

THAT'S VERY SOPHISTICATED.

IT'S QUITE BRILLIANT.
AS I SAID, VERY SMART GUY.

Narrator:
HE'S BECOME A VERY SUCCESSFUL

CYBER-CRIMINAL AND IS NOT AFRAID
TO SHOW OFF HIS WEALTH.

Good: MOST CRIMINALS, THEY TEND
TO WANT TO FLY UNDER THE RADAR.

TOBE WAS THE OPPOSITE.
HE DIDN'T CARE.

I WOULDN'T CALL TOBE'S LIFESTYLE
AT THE TIME HACKER BEHAVIOR.

IT WAS MORE OF
THE FAST LIFE BEHAVIOR.

FOR HIM, IT WAS
ALL ABOUT THE MONEY.

HE WANTED TO SHOW PEOPLE
HE HAD A LOT OF MONEY.

IN A WEEK... IN A WEEK,

HE COULD CONCEIVABLY
GO THROUGH OVER $100,000.

IN FACT, HE LOVED TO BE
IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

HE WAS A SHOWOFF.

TOBE WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE

IN THE ACTIVITY
FOR APPROXIMATELY SIX YEARS.

PERSONALLY, BASED ON WHAT I KNOW

AND WHAT THE CASE AGENTS KNOW
WHO WORKED THIS CASE,

WE BELIEVE HE STOLE CLOSE
TO $100 MILLION.

Narrator:
THE FBI STARTS CLOSING IN,

ALTHOUGH THEY DON'T YET
HAVE NAMES FOR THEIR TARGETS,

ONLY A DECEPTIVE
DIGITAL TRAIL.

THROUGH THE BANK,
WE WERE ABLE TO GET AN I.P.,

SO, THEY HAD AN I.P.

OF SOMEONE LOGGING
INTO THAT ACCOUNT

AND ACTUALLY MAKING
THE TRANSFER.

I.P. STANDS FOR
INTERNET PROTOCOL,

AND AN I.P. ADDRESS
IS A NUMBER GIVEN

FROM THE INTERNET SERVICE
PROVIDER TO EVERY PHONE,

WHATEVER, DEVICES
THAT YOU'RE USING.

Narrator: THE FBI TRACKS
THE I.P. ADDRESS OF THE DEVICE

USED TO LOG INTO THE
VIRGINIA RESIDENT'S ACCOUNT.

Jiggetts: IN THIS CASE, IT WAS
THE WIRELESS CARD THAT TOBE HAD.

[ GLASS CLINKS ]

Narrator: WITH THAT INFORMATION,

THE FBI CAN TRACE
WHERE THE CARD WAS PURCHASED.

Jiggetts: THEY WERE ABLE TO TRACK
THAT NUMBER BACK TO THE CARD

THAT TOBE HAD BOUGHT
AT THE STORE.

FROM THERE, THEY WERE
ABLE TO TRACK DOWN,

VIA SURVEILLANCE VIDEO,
WHO BOUGHT THAT CARD.

Good:
WE PULL THE SECURITY VIDEO,

AND WE SEE ONE PERSON
MAKING A PAYMENT FOR THIS CARD,

AND WE THINK, WOW,
PROBABLY IS OUR GUY.

Narrator: DURING THE INVESTIGATION,
THE FBI LEARNS THAT THE CREW

IS USING A SPOOFING SERVICE
CALLED SPOOF CARD.

Good:
WE EXECUTED A SEARCH WARRANT,

AND SPOOF CARD GAVE US
ALL THE PHONE CALLS

THAT WERE CONNECTED TO HIM.

Narrator: NOT ONLY CAN
THE SPOOFING COMPANY

PROVIDE THE LIST OF CALLS MADE,

THEY HAVE AUDIO RECORDINGS
OF THE ELUSIVE CYBER THIEVES.

Good: SPOOF CARD,
WHICH TOBE DIDN'T REALIZE,

RECORDS EVERY CALL
THAT YOU MAKE.

SO AS IT TURNS OUT,
WE WERE ABLE TO GAIN ACCESS,

WITH A SEARCH WARRANT,
TO 1,700 CALLS THAT HE MADE.

Narrator: MEANING THEY HAVE
RECORDINGS OF ALL THE SCAMMERS' VOICES.

IT WAS A HUGE TURNING POINT,
AND THINK ABOUT IT.

1,700 PHONE CALLS SPREAD OUT
AMONGST A NUMBER OF AGENTS

AND LISTENING
INTENTLY, LITERALLY,

ALL DAY LONG.
WE CONTINUED LISTENING.

THE VOICE IS THE SAME
ON ALL THESE CALLS.

Narrator:
FINALLY, THEY GET A BREAK.

A FAMILIAR VOICE POSING

AS A DOCTOR CALLS
INTO A PHARMACY.

Good: AND IT'S A PHONE CALL
TO HAVE A PRESCRIPTION FILLED.

Narrator: AND WHILE
THE DOCTOR'S NAME IS FAKE,

THE PATIENT'S NAME IS REAL.

THIS IS A MASSIVE
BREAKTHROUGH IN THE CASE.

Good: I'M CALLING
FOR TOBECHI ONWUHARA,

WHOSE DATE OF BIRTH
IS SUCH-AND-SUCH.

I'M DR. SO-AND-SO.

AND RIGHT AWAY, THE CASE AGENT
MADE THE CONNECTION,

"WAIT A MINUTE,
THIS MIGHT BE THE GUY."

AND SURE ENOUGH,
HE RUNS THE NAME,

HE RUNS THE DATE OF BIRTH,

AND IT TURNS OUT THAT
THERE'S A HIT ON THE NAME,

AND THERE'S A HIT
ON THE DATE OF BIRTH.

Narrator:
THEY FINALLY HAVE THE NAME

OF THE MODERN-DAY
BANK ROBBER RESPONSIBLE

FOR THE THEFT OF UPWARDS
OF $100 MILLION.

Good: I WAS SHOCKED THAT
HE USED HIS REAL NAME,

BUT I DON'T THINK
HE HAD A CHOICE

BECAUSE HE NEEDED
THE PRESCRIPTION DESPERATELY.

I THINK TOBE AT THIS POINT
WAS SIMPLY RECKLESS.

HE WAS OVERLY CONFIDENT.

HE PROBABLY DID NOT
EXPECT TO BE CAUGHT.

AND ONCE YOU BECOME
OVERLY CONFIDENT

THAT THE FBI

OR ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
CANNOT FIND YOU,

YOU START TO MAKE MISTAKES.

Narrator: IN THE END, HUMAN
NATURE MAY HOLD THE TRUMP CARD.

AND OFTENTIMES, WHAT YOU SEE
IN THESE CASES IS THAT,

BECAUSE OF THE LIFESTYLE,
WHETHER IT'S WOMEN,

WHETHER IT'S DRUGS,
WHETHER IT'S PARTYING,

THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING
THAT LEADS TO THE DOWNFALL.

Narrator: THE FBI HAS
A MASTER IDENTITY THIEF

AND MODERN-DAY JESSE JAMES
IN ITS SIGHTS.

THEY HAVE VOICE RECORDINGS
OF THEIR SUSPECT,

AND FROM THOSE RECORDINGS,

THEY THINK HIS NAME
IS TOBE ONWUHARA.

NOW THEY NEED TO MATCH
THOSE RECORDINGS

AND HIS NAME
WITH HIS ACTUAL VOICE,

LIVE, IN ORDER TO BRING
CHARGES AGAINST HIM.

FOR THAT, THE FBI WILL USE
VOICE RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY.

VOICE RECOGNITION SOFTWARE
RECOGNIZES FREQUENCY PATTERNS

THAT ARE UNIQUE TO EACH PERSON.

EACH PERSON'S VOICE
IS DIFFERENT,

JUST LIKE A FINGERPRINT.

IT CONTAINS A HUGE AMOUNT
OF DATA FROM THE PITCH

TO THE INTENSITY
TO THE FREQUENCY AND SO ON.

TO ANALYZE VOICES,

COMPUTER SOFTWARE
TAKES THE SIGNAL,

BREAKS IT DOWN INTO
13 INDIVIDUAL PARTS,

AND ANALYZES THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE FREQUENCY

AND THE INTENSITY
OF THE SOUNDWAVE.

THESE ARE COMPARED
WITH OTHER VOICES,

AND YOU EITHER
GET A MATCH OR NOT.

Narrator: TO GET A LIVE SAMPLE
OF TOBE'S VOICE,

THE FBI SETS UP A STING.

Good: WE DETERMINE
HE WAS FLYING OVERSEAS

AND WAS COMING BACK INTO THE
UNITED STATES THROUGH NEW YORK.

SO I SEND MY TWO AGENTS UP
TO JFK UP IN NEW YORK,

AND WHEN HE COMES
THROUGH CUSTOMS,

WE PERFORM A SECONDARY
SEARCH ON HIM.

SO, THEY PULL HIM ASIDE.

WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO TALK TO HIM.

OBVIOUSLY, WE DON'T
PLAY OUR HAND.

IT WAS JUST A TYPICAL SECONDARY

WHERE THEY'RE JUST ASKING YOU
SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT,

WHY ARE YOU COMING BACK
INTO THE COUNTRY,

AND HOW LONG WERE YOU GONE,
AND WHERE YOU WERE.

IT WAS ALL BASIC STUFF,

BUT MY AGENTS LISTENING
TO HIM FROM BEHIND THE SCENES

AS CUSTOMS
IS INTERVIEWING THIS GUY.

AND MY AGENT IMMEDIATELY KNOWS,
HEY, THIS IS THE GUY.

I RECOGNIZE HIS VOICE.

NARRATOR:
VOICE MATCHING SOFTWARE CONFIRMS

THE MAN SPEAKING
TO AUTHORITIES AT JFK

IS THE SAME ONE
ON THE SPOOFED CALLS.

ARREST WARRANTS ARE REQUESTED.

Hilbert: THEY DIDN'T ARREST HIM

RIGHT AWAY FOR A COUPLE
OF DIFFERENT REASONS.

FIRST OFF, THE VOICE MASK

MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ENOUGH
TO GET A WARRANT.

THE OTHER SIDE OF IT IS,
THEY WOULD WANT TO KNOW

WHERE TOBE WAS GOING,

AND DURING THAT,
COLLECT MORE EVIDENCE

THAT THEY COULD THEN UTILIZE
FOR THE ARREST WARRANT.

Narrator: EXCEPT, BY THE TIME

THEY'VE GATHERED ENOUGH
EVIDENCE TO ARREST HIM,

ONWUHARA HAS FLED THE COUNTRY.

Good: EVERYONE DID THEIR JOB.

IT WAS JUST ONE
OF THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES

WHERE THERE WAS
A LOT OF CONFUSION,

AND HE WAS ABLE TO SLIP AWAY.

Narrator: AND HE DOESN'T SURFACE
AGAIN FOR FIVE YEARS.

Good:
HE WAS ON OUR MOST-WANTED LIST.

WE HAD RED NOTICES
OUT AT ALL THE AIRPORTS.

WE WERE WATCHING FOR HIM.

Narrator:
THEY ULTIMATELY SPOT AMERICA'S

MOST WANTED BANK ROBBER IN 2013.

HE FINALLY DECIDES
TO MOVE TO AUSTRALIA,

SO THEY AFFECTED THE ARREST
OVER IN AUSTRALIA,

AND THEN HE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY
EXTRADITED TO THE UNITED STATES.

Narrator: THE FBI FINALLY HAS
MODERN-DAY JESSE JAMES,

TOBECHI ONWUHARA, IN CUSTODY.

HE PLEADS GUILTY,
COOPERATES WITH AUTHORITIES,

AND IN EXCHANGE FOR A LENIENT
FIVE-YEAR SENTENCE,

HELPS BANKS IMPROVE
THEIR CYBER-SECURITY PROTOCOLS.

NONE OF THE STOLEN
$100 MILLION IS EVER RECOVERED.

BANKS ARE IMPROVING SECURITY

BY TRYING OUT FACIAL RECOGNITION
AND VOICE RECOGNITION,

AND EVEN NOW, IT'S PRETTY COMMON
TO GET AN E-MAIL

OR SOME KIND OF MESSAGE
ABOUT CHANGES TO YOUR ACCOUNT.

YOU HAVE SYSTEMS LIKE
TWO-STEP AUTHENTICATION.

YOU HAVE WEB
BROWSER FINGERPRINTING.

IT JUST KEEPS
GETTING MORE SECURE

AND SECURE AS YOU MOVE FORWARD

AND LEARN DIFFICULT LESSONS.

Narrator: WHILE CYBER SKILLS CAN
BE USED TO STEAL MILLIONS,

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GLOBE,

CHEMISTRY IS PUT TO USE

FOR AN EVEN MORE
DESPICABLE CRIME.

FROM THE EARLY DAYS
OF ARSENIC AND CYANIDE,

CHEMICAL POISONS HAVE EVOLVED
IN A SOPHISTICATED

AND LETHAL FASHION.

IN THE 1970s, AN UMBRELLA

WAS USED TO INJECT
A PELLET OF RICIN

INTO THE LEG OF BULGARIAN
DISSIDENT GEORGI MARKOV.

AND IN EARLY 2017,
THE HALF-BROTHER

OF NORTH KOREAN LEADER
KIM JONG-UN WAS SPRAYED

WITH A LETHAL NERVE AGENT
THAT QUICKLY TOOK HIS LIFE.

BUT IN 2006,

AN ASSASSINATION WAS CARRIED OUT

THAT WAS SO SUBTLE AND UNUSUAL

THAT IT ALMOST ESCAPES
DETECTION ALTOGETHER.

ALEXANDER LITVINENKO WAS
A FORMER KGB OPERATIVE

WITHIN THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT.

WHEN THE SOVIET UNION COLLAPSED,

HE ENDED UP LEAVING RUSSIA,
MOVING TO LONDON.

NARRATOR:
LITVINENKO WORKS AS A JOURNALIST

AND IS RUMORED TO BE WORKING

AS A CONSULTANT TO MI-6
BRITISH INTELLIGENCE.

TO RUSSIA, HE'S A TRAITOR
AND A THREAT.

HE WAS AN OPEN
CRITIC OF THE KGB.

HE WAS MAKING VERY BOLD
STATEMENTS ABOUT THE RUSSIANS.

Monsegur:
HE HAD A TARGET ON HIS BACK.

HE WAS AN EX-SPY

WHO HAD WRITTEN
SEVERAL BOOKS VERY CRITICAL

OF THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT.

Narrator: IN NOVEMBER 2006,
LITVINENKO BECOMES SUSPICIOUSLY ILL.

Hilbert: EVENTUALLY, HE ENDS UP
IN THE HOSPITAL

BECAUSE HE JUST
DOESN'T KNOW WHAT IT IS,

AND THE DOCTORS
DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.

THEN HE STARTS
LOSING HIS HAIR.

THAT'S WHERE IT
REALLY GETS WEIRD

BECAUSE THAT INDICATES
SOME KIND OF SERIOUS ILLNESS,

PROBABLY RADIATION SICKNESS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS
AT THIS POINT.

Narrator: THE METROPOLITAN
POLICE IS SUMMONED.

WHERE, HOW?

HOW DID HE COME
IN CONTACT WITH THIS?

WHERE HAS HE BEEN TRAVELING?
WHAT HAS HE BEEN EATING?

HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE

COULD POTENTIALLY BE EXPOSED
TO WHATEVER THIS ILLNESS IS.

Narrator: LITVINENKO GIVES POLICE A
FULL ACCOUNT OF HIS MOVEMENTS.

CCTV FOOTAGE SHOWS
ONE IMPORTANT MEETING

WITH EX-KGB AGENT ANDRE LUGOVOI

AND FORMER RUSSIAN SOLDIER
DMITRI KOVTUN

ON NOVEMBER 1, 2006,

ONE DAY BEFORE
LITVINENKO GETS SICK.

Hilbert: IT'S REPORTED THAT
HE MET WITH TWO HIGH-RANKING

RUSSIAN PROFESSIONALS
TO HAVE TEA.

Narrator:
18 DAYS AFTER HE FALLS ILL,

LITVINENKO IS TRANSFERRED
TO INTENSIVE CARE.

THE FOLLOWING DAY,
HIS BONE MARROW FAILS.

Hilbert: BONE MARROW FAILURE
IS SO DEADLY

BECAUSE BONE MARROW IS WHERE
YOUR BLOOD CELLS ARE CREATED.

YOUR RED BLOOD CELLS,
YOUR WHITE BLOOD CELLS.

THEY CARRY NUTRIENTS
THROUGH YOUR BODY.

THEY FIGHT INFECTION.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THEM,
YOU CANNOT LIVE.

Narrator: IT'S THE WORST
POSSIBLE NEWS FOR LITVINENKO,

BUT IT'S THE BEST
LEAD DOCTORS HAVE SO FAR.

ONE OF THE CAUSES
OF BONE MARROW FAILURE

IS ACTUALLY RADIATION POISONING.

Narrator: IF LITVINENKO IS A
VICTIM OF RADIATION POISONING,

THEN THIS IS POSSIBLY A NEW FORM
OF POLITICAL ASSASSINATION.

IT ONLY NEEDS TO BE
THE SIZE OF A SPECK

OF DUST TO DELIVER A FATAL DOSE

IF SWALLOWED.

Narrator: HI-TECH ASSASSINS
USING SCIENCE AS A WEAPON

ARE SUSPECTED OF INFLICTED
RADIATION POISONING

ON FORMER KGB AGENT
ALEXANDER LITVINENKO,

WHO LIES IN INTENSIVE CARE.

Hilbert:
THE MOST COMMON RADIATION

THAT A PERSON
WOULD EXPERIENCE WOULD BE

WHAT IS CALLED GAMMA RADIATION.

[ BEEPING ]

SO, THEY WOULD TEST HIM
FOR GAMMA RADIATION

USING A GEIGER COUNTER.

Hammack: INSIDE THE GEIGER
COUNTER IS A METAL CYLINDER

OR TUBE FILLED
WITH LOW-PRESSURE GAS.

THE GAS CAN
CONDUCT ELECTRICITY,

OR RELEASE ELECTRONS,
IN OTHER WORDS,

WHEN BOMBARDED BY RADIATION.

THE MORE RADIATION THERE IS,

THE MORE ELECTRONS ARE RELEASED.

AND THIS PRODUCES
A PULSE OF ELECTRICITY

THAT EITHER CAUSES
A CLICKING SOUND

OR MAKES A NEEDLE MOVE
ON A METER.

[ CLICKING ]

ON THIS DEVICE,
RADIATION IS MEASURED IN CPMs.

IN EVERYDAY LIFE, YOU CAN
FIND RADIATION EVERYWHERE.

AND IF IT'S LESS THAN 50 CPM,
EVERYTHING IS ALL RIGHT.

IF IT GOES ABOVE 50,
THEN WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

HERE AT THIS VERY MOMENT,
WE HAVE 14 CPM OF RADIATION,

SO I'M STILL GOOD.

Narrator:
THE GAMMA RADIATION TESTS

DON'T TURN UP ANYTHING UNUSUAL

EXCEPT FOR ONE TINY SPIKE.

THE SCIENTISTS DIDN'T
THINK TOO MUCH OF IT,

BUT AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT,
ANOTHER SCIENTIST

NEARBY HAPPENED
TO OVERHEAR THEM TALKING.

[ EXPLOSION ]

Narrator: DECADES AGO,
THIS SCIENTIST WORKED

ON BRITAIN'S EARLY
ATOMIC BOMB PROGRAM,

AND HE RECOGNIZES THE SPIKE.

HE SUGGESTS THEY USE
AN ALPHA DETECTOR

INSTEAD OF A GAMMA DETECTOR.

GAMMA RADIATION IS WHAT PEOPLE

TYPICALLY THINK
OF AS RADIOACTIVITY.

WELL, THAT WAS AN ALPHA.
VERY DIFFERENT.

GAMMA RADIATION IS
AN ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE,

BUT ALPHA RADIATION
IS A PARTICLE.

GAMMA RADIATION CAN GO
THROUGH BUILDINGS.

ALPHA CAN BE STOPPED
BY A PIECE OF PAPER.

Narrator: AUTHORITIES TEST
FOR ALPHA RADIATION

AT THE HOTEL BAR WHERE
LITVINENKO DRANK HIS TEA

WITH THE TWO MEN.

POLICE TEST THE CUPS
AND THE TEA POT.

THE TEA POT'S RADIATION
LEVELS ARE OFF THE CHARTS.

THIS IS A NEW FORM
OF ASSASSINATION,

AND POLICE CAN NOW CONFIRM
THE SOURCE OF THE RADIATION.

IT WAS IDENTIFIED
THAT LITVINENKO WAS POISONED

WITH POLONIUM,
AN ALPHA EMITTER.

Narrator: POLONIUM 210 IS
A RADIOACTIVE SEMI-METAL.

Jiggetts: POLONIUM WAS DISCOVERED
BY MARIE CURIE BACK IN 1898.

SHE WON A NOBEL PRIZE
FOR THAT EFFORT,

AND SHE NAMED THE ELEMENT

AFTER HER HOME
COUNTRY OF POLAND.

Hammack: IN THE NATURAL WORLD,
IT CAN BE EXTRACTED FROM ROCKS

CONTAINING RADIOACTIVE URANIUM,

OR IT CAN BE
PRODUCED IN A LAB.

Hilbert: POLONIUM IS NOT
A COMMON MATERIAL.

IT'S REALLY ONLY USED
IN THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES

OR NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS.

POLONIUM IS SO RARE
THAT THE VALUE

WOULD BE SOMETHING
AROUND $2 MILLION PER GRAM.

Narrator: IT'S RARE, EXPENSIVE,
AND EXTREMELY DEADLY.

BY MASS, ONE OF
THE DEADLIEST TOXINS.

IT ONLY NEEDS TO BE
THE SIZE OF A SPECK

OF DUST TO DELIVER
A FATAL DOSE IF SWALLOWED.

Narrator: THE LEVEL OF POLONIUM
IN LITVINENKO'S BODY IS BELIEVED

TO BE 200 TIMES
THE LETHAL DOSE.

THE THING ABOUT ALPHA EMITTERS
AND PARTICULARLY POLONIUM,

THERE IS NO CURE.

Narrator: LITVINENKO DIES HOURS
AFTER POLONIUM

IS CONFIRMED AS THE POISON.

EVEN IF THEY HAD
FOUND OUT SOONER,

IT WOULDN'T HAVE MATTERED.

Narrator: BUT NOW, AT LEAST,
METROPOLITAN POLICE KNOW

THE KILLING IS DELIBERATE,

AND THEY CAN START
TO NARROW DOWN THE SUSPECTS.

JUST THE FACT
THAT THEY USED POLONIUM

TO POISON HIM
IS A GREAT INDICATOR

THAT WHOEVER DID THIS HAD

A LOT OF MONEY
AND A LOT OF POWER.

IT WOULD HAVE
TO BE A NATION

THAT HAS ACCESS
TO THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES

OR NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS.

THAT'S A VERY LIMITED LIST.

IT INCLUDES,
OF COURSE, RUSSIA.

Narrator:
POLICE NEVER HAVE THE CHANCE

TO QUESTION THE MAIN SUSPECTS,

ANDRE LUGOVOI AND DMITRI KOVTUN.

THEY'RE BACK HOME,

AND RUSSIA REFUSES
TO EXTRADITE THEM.

Hilbert: WHO IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE POISONING

OF LITVINENKO
IS THE OPEN QUESTION.

THERE'S A LOT OF SPECULATION

THAT IT WAS
THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT,

BUT ONE THING THAT
EXPERTS CAN AGREE ON

IS THE USE OF THE POLONIUM

WAS INTENDED TO BE A SLOW,
PAINFUL DEATH.

Narrator: LITVINENKO'S CASE WILL
LONG BE REMEMBERED,

AND THE INVESTIGATION
INTO HIS POISONING

WILL SET NEW PRECEDENTS
FOR HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT

AND HOSPITALS DEAL
WITH CHEMICAL ATTACKS.

Hilbert: WHEN YOU'RE DEALING
WITH A SITUATION

WHERE THERE'S A POTENTIALLY

STATE-SPONSORED NEW WEAPON
OUT THERE,

EVERYBODY HAS TO BE
MADE AWARE OF HOW IT WORKS

OR WHAT THEY CAN DO
TO FIGHT IT.