SAK Arrested for Using Liberty Dollars

[FTL_Ian]

http://www.theweekextra.com/news/0907/091307arrest.html

Liberty Dollar use shows up in Walworth
---Couple charged with retail theft for making purchases

Mike Heine/The Week

(Published Sept. 13, 2007, 1:27 p.m.)

A Rockford couple was arrested this spring for using and trying to use "Liberty Dollars" at three Walworth businesses.

The suspects, Shaun A. Kranish, 22, and Svetlana V. Dudnik, 24, may be the first to try and use the "private barter currency" in Walworth County, District Attorney Phil Koss said.

The couple is also the first to post their story on a new blog site, walworthcorruption.blogspot.com, which started Sept. 7. The site is aimed at "exposing corruption in Walworth County, Wisconsin, by any and all persons holding a government job!"

It is unclear who started the site.

On it, the couple tells their story of how they were allegedly harassed by police, booked in jail and thrust into the court system for, as they say, not doing anything wrong.

On May 6, Kranish was getting something to eat at the Dari-Ripple in Walworth and attempted to pay for his meal with a $20 "fine silver Liberty Dollar." Shortly after he gave it to the clerk, a police officer arrived and started asking him questions.

"I tried to explain that it was not against the law, that I was offering silver for trade...," a writer claiming to be Shaun wrote, on the blog site. The article also appears on another blog site, www.makethestand.com.

Kranish and Dudnik, who according to the postings are now married, were arrested and taken to jail. Both are charged with four counts of misdemeanor theft.

Kranish also was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon. He had a .45 caliber handgun in a CD case in his car on May 6, and he was wearing an empty holster, according to the complaint.

Walworth police were notified of Liberty Dollars being used at the Walworth Landing gas station, Daniels Sentry in Walworth and again at Dari-Ripple in late April, according to the criminal complaint. Change was given back in at least one of the instances.

Dudnik told police she was with Kranish when he used the coins at the three locations, according to the complaint.

The cases are still pending.

"I've spoken to many lawyers since this has happened, and they have all said the same thing-Walworth County, Wisconsin, is the most corrupt county in the state," Kranish wrote on his blog. "They nail people, especially people from out of town or out of state. It's a huge racket, just like everywhere else. But in Walworth, they do whatever they want with impunity."

Kranish wondered why he couldn't get the silver pieces back from the stores and give them actual currency, as he had done before in Rockford, according to the posting.

Using the Liberty Dollars as circulating currency could actually be a federal crime, according to the United States Mint.

"They are not genuine United States Mint bullion coins and are not legal tender," according to the Mint's Web site. "These medallions are privately produced products that are neither backed by, nor affiliated with, the Untied States Government."

Bernard von NotHaus, creator of the Liberty Dollar, is suing the U.S. Government for damaging his business after the U.S. Mint publicized warnings about using the coins.

"The Liberty Dollar is a 'private voluntary barter' currency which is not and has not been represented as 'legal tender,' 'coin' or 'current money' in the United States," according to the lawsuit.

The company has "encouraged persons who utilize the barter currency to offer it to merchants as barter payment for goods and services but not as 'legal tender' or 'current money.'" It is legal to use if agreed upon by the merchants, von NotHaus argues.

The company's Web site reminds users that the coins are not U.S. currency, but says to offer them "with the confidence that it will be accepted."

The U.S. Mint, the only entity allowed issue legal tender, accuses the advertisements for the company are confusing because it says the Liberty Dollars are "legal" and "constitutional."

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Mint said she could not comment on the Liberty Dollars because of the pending litigation.

[Puke]

Would it also be "illegal" if I used a pack of cigarettes (or whatever I chose) as barter?

Fucking thugs just killing off competition. 

[Ron Helwig]

The U.S. Mint, the only entity allowed issue legal tender, accuses the advertisements for the company are confusing because it says the Liberty Dollars are "legal" and "constitutional."

If the U.S. Mint is the only entity allowed to issue legal tender, then what's with all these Federal Reserve Notes I keep seeing? Why aren't people getting arrested for using those?

[d_goddard]

Is this "our" SAK??!?!

[picaro]

that are neither backed by, nor affiliated with, the Untied States Government.

Who cares if it is "backed" or not?  1 oz of silver remains 1 oz of silver.

[LordBaltimore]

that are neither backed by, nor affiliated with, the Untied States Government.

Who cares if it is "backed" or not?  1 oz of silver remains 1 oz of silver.

On the face of the coin, it says $20, which isn't true considering that one ounce of silver is only worth $13 (the difference went to von NotHaus as profit.) 

Use the coins where they're welcomed and it's no big deal.  Try to pass them off on other businesses and you'll get in trouble.  It isn't rocket science.

[Lloyd Danforth]

as profit is what is left after all cost are covered, he isn't getting 7 bucks profit.

[Puke]

as profit is what is left after all cost are covered, he isn't getting 7 bucks profit.

Uhh, yeah. The coins don't grow on trees.

The US dollar also has random numbers written on it. But it's only jack-shit worth of paper.
I'll take the silver.

[FTL_Ian]

Is this "our" SAK??!?!

Yes.

[Little Owl]

Scumbags.  That's Wisconsin cops for you.  The same guys who let Jeffrey Dahmer go.  Milwaukee cops are legendary for their corruption.

I do wonder if there is an issue with use of the word dollar and/or the "$" sign on the coins.  I know foreign countries have currencies called dollars, but they are legal tender in their respective countries.

The points about the disparity between the posted "$20" face value and the silver content are noteworthy though.  The Liberty Dollar model is a bit screwed up.

[Kat Kanning]

Yeah, he discussed it some here:

http://newhampshireunderground.com/forum/index.php?topic=7253.0

and told us a bunch about it when we met him.

[firecracker joe]

well hold on to your liberty dollars cause when the us paper money isnt worth the paper its printed on the liberty coins will still hold their value sell your dolllars invest in minerals. i say . Firecracker joe.

[Kat Kanning]

I figure whatever is printed on them, they're still an ounce of silver...can't go too bad with that.

[Little Owl]

I figure whatever is printed on them, they're still an ounce of silver...can't go too bad with that.

Sure you can, by paying $20 for an ounce of silver available for $13-$14 through other means.  Just as FRNs claim to be worth more than their paper content, Liberty Dollars claim to be worth more than their silver content.  Why not just exchange generic silver rounds?

[Kat Kanning]

I haven't been paying $20 for them.