Wesley Weber

Last updated
Wesley Weber
WesleyWeber.jpg
Born
Ontario
Nationality Canadian
Other namesWesley Kam, Jeff Murray. [1]
Criminal charge Counterfeit banknotes and trading without registration

Wesley Wayne Weber [2] is a Canadian who is considered one of the country's most prominent counterfeit banknote creators. [3] [1] [4] Weber succeeded in counterfeiting the 1986 series Canadian hundred-dollar bill. They were the highest quality computer produced counterfeits of Canadian banknotes to date. [5] Between ten and nineteen percent of retailers nationwide refused accepting 100 dollar bills as payment, due to the difficulty of identifying the fake copies. [6] [7] In 2006 the Canadian documentary series Masterminds featured an episode about him. [8]

Contents

Early life

Weber grew up in Amherstburg, a small town near Windsor, Ontario. [9] During his high school years he considered himself a computer nerd [1] [10] and by the age of 13 he was able to produce his first fake bills. [11] [5] After high school, Weber started to study bioscience and took two years of mechanical engineering at the University of Windsor. [11] [5] Before finishing his degree he moved to Toronto and by the age of 26 he purchased a condominium, a Ferrari and various other luxury vehicles. [7]

Counterfeiting

During his teenage years Wesley Weber was able to forge all kind of documents, including insurance certificates, welfare cards, cheques and gift certificates. [12] In 1997 he was sentenced to three months for forgery. [11] After that, he spent weeks tinkering with scanned copies of banknotes to perfect the simulated images and security features using techniques he found on websites. [13] He used editing software that allowed to enlarge the image up to 1000 times [10] and printed more than 7.7 million dollars using an HP Deskjet printer. [7] [14] To emulate the security features of the real money, Weber used special paper that did not glow under UV light as well as custom foil to forge the metallic patch on the bills. He also purchased fluorescent paint to simulate another feature, the polymer UV responsive dots. [15] [10] [11] He was arrested in October 2000 after a police raid into the building used to print the money, where they seized over a quarter million dollars in counterfeit bills. By November 2001, over 40 000 fake bills had been detected and taken out of circulation. [16] Police started following Weber's trail after he used his 100 dollar counterfeit bills to pay for a three-thousand dollar purchase at an auto parts supplier. [17] The year he was arrested, Canada changed their currency bills, introducing new security features to try to prevent counterfeiting. [10] [18] Weber pleaded guilty in August 2001, [7] and received a five-year prison sentence. [11] Weber was released from jail in August 2006 [5] and moved to Richmond Hill, Ontario where he worked selling phones. [11] In 2017, a report by the Bank of Canada cited Weber as one of the most well-known counterfeiters in the country. [19]

Trading

During his jail term Weber learned market trading [7] [11] and after release founded the consulting firm Goldbridge Financial Inc. which provided financial services without registration. [20] Weber and his wife, Michelle Kam, [21] co-founded the digital currency startup company Incryptex [1] [22] which provides a platform for trading and storing digital crypto-currencies. [23] Weber used the alias 'Wesley Kam' to try to get the company listed on a public exchange by issuing shares and received funds from investors. [20] In January 2019, Weber pleaded guilty to violating a 2011 trading ban from the Ontario Securities Commission for his activities in Incryptex. [24] On 29 October 2019, he was sentenced for that offence to a prison term of 90 days, along with two years of probation by Justice Malcolm McLeod of the Ontario Court of Justice. [25]

Cannabis advocacy

Wesley Weber had been a marijuana farmer in the past. In April 1999 he got arrested for exploiting a grow op in the basement of his home in Windsor [1] and again in 2010 for planting marijuana in another farmer's field. [26] That year, he was sentenced to 18 months of house arrest and 240 hours of community service. [11] In September 2017 Weber used the alias 'Jeff Murray' to speak in front of the city councilors at Toronto's Licensing and Standards Committee and gave his recommendations on how they should regulate cannabis establishments. [1] [27] In October 2018, the Cannabis Act legalized the use of marijuana for recreational purpose in Canada. [28] Weber declared that he helped finance a chain of cannabis stores named CAFE and according to a CBC News investigation he was one of its founders and main owners. [29] [30] His wife served as director of a company that owns one of the properties used by CAFE. [31] She was also the guarantor of a 1.7 million dollar loan on that real estate. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liquor Control Board of Ontario</span> Crown corporation and liquor sales monopoly in Ontario, Canada

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) is a Crown corporation that retails and distributes alcoholic beverages throughout the Canadian province of Ontario. It is accountable to the Legislative Assembly through the minister of finance. It was established in 1927 by the government of Premier George Howard Ferguson to sell liquor, wine, and beer. Such sales were banned outright in 1916 as part of prohibition in Canada. The creation of the LCBO marked an easing of the province's temperance regime. By September 2017, the LCBO was operating 651 liquor stores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marc Emery</span> Canadian politician (born 1958)

Marc Scott Emery is a Canadian cannabis rights activist, entrepreneur and politician. Often described as the "Prince of Pot", Emery has been a notable advocate of international cannabis policy reform, and has been active in multiple Canadian political parties at the provincial and federal levels. Emery has been jailed several times for his cannabis activism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian one-hundred-dollar note</span> One of five banknotes of the Canadian dollar

The Canadian one-hundred-dollar note is one of five banknotes of the Canadian dollar. It is the highest-valued and least-circulated of the notes since the thousand-dollar note was gradually removed from circulation starting in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Counterfeit money</span> Imitation currency produced without the legal sanction of a state or government

Counterfeit money is currency produced outside of the legal sanction of a state or government, usually in a deliberate attempt to imitate that currency and so as to deceive its recipient. Producing or using counterfeit money is a form of fraud or forgery, and is illegal in all jurisdictions of the world. The business of counterfeiting money is nearly as old as money itself: plated copies have been found of Lydian coins, which are thought to be among the first Western coins. Before the introduction of paper money, the most prevalent method of counterfeiting involved mixing base metals with pure gold or silver. Another form of counterfeiting is the production of documents by legitimate printers in response to fraudulent instructions. During World War II, the Nazis forged British pounds and American dollars. Today, some of the finest counterfeit banknotes are called Superdollars because of their high quality and imitation of the real US dollar. There has been significant counterfeiting of Euro banknotes and coins since the launch of the currency in 2002, but considerably less than that of the US dollar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannabis in Canada</span>

Cannabis in Canada is legal for both recreational and medicinal purposes. Medicinal use of cannabis was legalized nationwide under conditions outlined in the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations, later superseded by the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations, issued by Health Canada and seed, grain, and fibre production was permitted under licence by Health Canada. The federal Cannabis Act came into effect on October 17th, 2018 and made Canada the second country in the world, after Uruguay, to formally legalize the cultivation, possession, acquisition, and consumption of cannabis and its by-products. Canada is the first G7 and G20 nation to do so.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banknotes of the Canadian dollar</span> Overview of banknotes issued by Canada

Banknotes of the Canadian dollar are the banknotes or bills of Canada, denominated in Canadian dollars. Currently, they are issued in $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100 denominations. All current notes are issued by the Bank of Canada, which released its first series of notes in 1935. The Bank of Canada has contracted the Canadian Bank Note Company to produce the Canadian notes since then. The current series of polymer banknotes were introduced into circulation between November 2011 and November 2013. Banknotes issued in Canada can be viewed at the Bank of Canada Museum in Ottawa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grant Krieger</span> Canadian activist

Grant Wayne Krieger is a prominent Canadian who in May 1996 travelled to Holland to obtain a prescription for Cannabis to help alleviate symptoms from Multiple Sclerosis. Since then he became a prominent cannabis rights advocate. In 1996 he began the controversy associated with medical marijuana. Krieger openly admitted to using and selling marijuana from his home in Regina, due to his own illness, multiple sclerosis, and various medical conditions of his customers. In 1998 he moved his family to Calgary and was seen on the steps of the Calgary courthouse giving a fellow medicinal user an ounce of weed. He was charged with trafficking and more court appearances were scheduled. Krieger elated with not guilty verdict. In 2000 Krieger won a judicial ruling, allowing him to use Marijuana for personal medical purposes.

Scenes of Canada is the fourth series of banknotes of the Canadian dollar issued by the Bank of Canada. It was first circulated in 1970 to succeed the 1954 Canadian Landscape series and was followed by the 1986 Birds of Canada banknote series. This was the last series to feature a $1 bill, which was replaced by a $1 coin known as the loonie in 1987, although both the $1 bill and the loonie were produced concurrently for 21 months, from June 1987 to April 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jodie Emery</span> Canadian cannabis rights activist and politician

Jodie Emery is a Canadian cannabis rights activist and politician. She is the spouse of fellow activist Marc Emery. Until the business was shut down by police, the couple were co-owners of Cannabis Culture, a business that franchised pot dispensaries, later deemed to be illegal. They had obtained the cannabis from illegal sources, according to Crown prosecutors. They are the former operators and owners of Cannabis Culture magazine and Pot TV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dana Larsen</span> Canadian politician

Dana Albert Larsen is a Canadian author, businessman, philanthropist and activist for cannabis and drug policy reform. Larsen currently operates businesses and non-profit societies in Vancouver including The Medicinal Cannabis Dispensary, The Medicinal Mushroom Dispensary, The Coca Leaf Cafe, Pothead Books, and the Get Your Drugs Tested centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birds of Canada (banknotes)</span> 1986 Canadian banknote series

Birds of Canada is the fifth series of banknotes of the Canadian dollar issued by the Bank of Canada and was first circulated in 1986 to replace the 1969 Scenes of Canada series. Each note features a bird indigenous to Canada in its design. The banknotes weigh 1 gram with dimensions of 152.40 by 69.85 millimetres. It was succeeded by the 2001 Canadian Journey series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannabis in California</span> Legality, use and culture of medical and recreational cannabis in California

Cannabis in California has been legal for medical use since 1996, and for recreational use since late 2016. The state of California has been at the forefront of efforts to liberalize cannabis laws in the United States, beginning in 1972 with the nation's first ballot initiative attempting to legalize cannabis. Although it was unsuccessful, California would later become the first state to legalize medical cannabis through the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, which passed with 56% voter approval. In November 2016, California voters approved the Adult Use of Marijuana Act with 57% of the vote, which legalized the recreational use of cannabis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canopy Growth</span> Canadian medical marijuana company

Canopy Growth Corporation, formerly Tweed Marijuana Inc., is a cannabis company based in Smiths Falls, Ontario.

Tokyo Smoke is a Canadian lifestyle brand owned by OEG Inc. that focuses on the legal recreational cannabis industry. The company was co-founded by father and son Lorne and Alan Gertner in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legal history of cannabis in Canada</span>

The Cannabis Act (C-45) of June, 2018 paved the way for the legalization of cannabis in Canada on 17 October 2018. Police and prosecution services in all Canadian jurisdictions are currently capable of pursuing criminal charges for cannabis marketing without a licence issued by Health Canada. The Supreme Court of Canada has held that the federal Parliament has the power to criminalize the possession of cannabis and that doing so does not infringe upon the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Ontario Court of Appeal and the Superior Court of Ontario have, however, held that the absence of a statutory provision for medical marijuana is unconstitutional, and to that extent the federal law is of no force and/or effect if a prescription is obtained. The recreational use of cannabis has been legalized by the federal government, and took effect on 17 October 2018.

<i>Cannabis Act</i> 2018 Canadian law legalizing recreational cannabis use

The Cannabis Act is a law which legalized recreational cannabis use in Canada in combination with its companion legislation Bill C-46, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code. The law is a milestone in the legal history of cannabis in Canada, alongside the 1923 prohibition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannabis in Ontario</span> Cannabis in Ontario, Canada

Cannabis in Ontario is legal for both medical and recreational purposes. Cannabis in Canada has been legal for medicinal purposes since 2001 under conditions outlined in the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations, issued by Health Canada, while seed, grain, and fibre production are permitted under licence. The federal Cannabis Act, legalizing cannabis for recreational use, came into effect on 17 October 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannabis laws of Canada by province or territory</span>

On October 17, 2018, cannabis was legalized in Canada for recreational and medical purposes. It was already legal for medicinal purposes, under conditions outlined in the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations issued by Health Canada, and for seed, grain, and fibre production under licence by Health Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation</span> Provincial cannabis distributor and online retailer

The Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation, operating as Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS), is a Crown corporation that manages a legal monopoly over the online retail and wholesale distribution of recreational cannabis to consumers and privately operated brick and mortar retailers respectively throughout Ontario, Canada.

Alan Gertner is a Canadian. He is the old co-founder and CEO of Tokyo Smoke, a Canadian lifestyle brand that focuses on coffee, clothing and legal cannabis. Gertner who also co-founded Hiku, a Canadian company, is a former Google executive known for his work in the Canadian cannabis industry.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Dubinsky, Zach; Mayor, Lisa (19 July 2019). "Who's really behind Toronto's chain of illegal pot shops that won't quit?". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
  2. ↑ "Recidivist Wesley Weber Sentenced after Guilty Plea to Securities Act Offences". Yahoo! Finance . 29 October 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  3. ↑ "Cannabis Canada: Is a white knight for CannTrust in 'everyone's interest'? - Article". BNN Bloomberg . 19 July 2019.
  4. ↑ "The world's most notorious counterfeiters who made a fortune". lovemoney.com. 7 May 2019. p. 6.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Amelie, Siska (11 February 2015). "Wesley Weber, Cetak Uang Palsu Sejak Usia 13 Tahun". Liputan 6 (in Indonesian).
  6. ↑ "Money Maker". Masterminds . Episode 51. 7 November 2006. Event occurs at 2:14. History (Canadian TV network). The exceptional forgery soon became epidemic, spreading through cities across the country and inflicting huge losses on businesses. We started seeing refusing notes go up as a result. Nineteen percent of retailers would not accept the 100 dollar bill because they perceived that it was too risky
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Wolman, David (2013). The End of Money: Counterfeiters, Preachers, Techies, Dreamers--and the Coming Cashless Society. Hachette Books. pp. 68, 69. ISBN   9780306822698.
  8. ↑ "CBC links CAFE dope shops to Jon Galvano, Wesley Weber". The South Bayview Bulldog. 21 July 2019. @1:55 "There was even a documentary made about him. But the mastermind behind the greatest counterfeiting operation in Canadian history..."
  9. ↑ van Wageningen, Ellen (28 December 2001). "Fake bills flooded retailers". The Windsor Star . p. 4.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Our Nation's Finest. The Globe and Mail, Booktango. 2012. p. 1995. ISBN   9781468902389.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Calleja, Dawn (27 April 2007). "Faking it". The Globe and Mail .
  12. ↑ Nash, Jonathan Remy; Estreicher, Samuel (2010). Workplace Privacy: Proceedings of the New York University 58th Annual Conference on Labor. Kluwer Law International B.V. ISBN   9789041131638.
  13. ↑ "Counterfeiting: Notes on a scandal". The Independent . 24 August 2009.
  14. ↑ Dewaele, Thomas; Diephuis, Maurits; Holotyak, Taras; Voloshynovskiy, Sviatoslav (14 February 2016). "Forensic authentication of banknotes on mobile phones". Electronic Imaging. 2016 (8): 1–8. doi:10.2352/ISSN.2470-1173.2016.8.MWSF-083.
  15. ↑ Arune, Willow (23 August 2018). "The forgery that wasn't". The Prince George Citizen . Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  16. ↑ Dubé, Francine (1 December 2001). "Counterfeiters gave $100 bills a bad name". National Post . p. 5.
  17. ↑ "Money Maker". Masterminds . Episode 51. 7 November 2006. Event occurs at 15:38 and 18:15. History (Canadian TV network). 3 000 dollars in cash, he said no problem", "After Weber leaves the dealer notices that several of his bills have the same serial number and calls police", "authorities seized over a quarter million in counterfeit hundreds
  18. ↑ Suhendra, Zulfi (21 December 2016). "5 Penjahat Terbesar Pembuat Uang Palsu". Liputan 6 (in Indonesian).
  19. ↑ "Landlord convicted on charges related to illegal Toronto weed chain CAFE". The GrowthOp. 26 January 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  20. 1 2 "OSC News Release: Recidivist Wesley Weber pleads guilty to violating the Securities Act". Ontario Securities Commission . 24 January 2019.
  21. ↑ Divon, Jordana (15 May 2018). "Law firms offer special deals to lure startups". The Globe and Mail .
  22. ↑ "Company wins provincial cannabis lottery proposing pot shop at same address as illegal CAFE store". Yahoo! News . 21 August 2019.
  23. ↑ "Incryptex Ltd. company profile". Bloomberg . Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  24. ↑ Langton, James (24 January 2019). "Ontario man pleads guilty to violating trading ban". Investment Executive . Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  25. ↑ "Recidivist Wesley Weber Sentenced after Guilty Plea to Securities Act Offences". www.osc.ca. 2019-10-29. Archived from the original on 2021-04-10. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
  26. ↑ Wilhelm, Trevor (18 Jun 2010). "Amherstburst police arrest marijuana farmers". Windsor Star . Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  27. ↑ "Licensing and Standards Committee - City of Toronto recommendation for cannabis legalization". Toronto City Council. 18 September 2017. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21.
  28. ↑ "The Cannabis Act: The Facts". Health Canada. Government of Canada. 20 June 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  29. ↑ Dubinsky, Zach (8 June 2022). "CAFE landlord cleared of all cannabis charges as latest attempt to crack down on illegal pot shop fails". CBC News . Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  30. ↑ Dubinsky, Zach (25 January 2023). "CAFE landlord convicted on appeal in Toronto illegal pot-shop case". CBC News . Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  31. ↑ Dubinsky, Zach (1 October 2019). "Illegal pot-shop bigwig should get 16 months for securities offence, prosecutor says". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.