LIBERTY DOLLAR ALERT - Bernard's latest e-mail

[KBCraig]

From the press release:

The indictment alleges that members affiliated with NORFED sell the Liberty Dollar coin
at a greater price than they pay for it, and that the profit for these individuals is the difference
between their discounted purchase price and the price for which they sell the coin.

What a novel idea.  Buying low and selling high.  I'll have to remember that one.

Yeah, I'm not quite sure how that's a crime, or evidence of one.

[Little Owl]

Bernard was in such a hurry to "resolve the legal issue" that he didn't turn himself in immediately after the raid as he suspected his FBI "friend" had wanted him to.  I'm not buying any of this.

I've read the entire indictment.  Certainly some of the charges are nonsense, but I highly doubt he's going to get off scot-free.  I guess we'll all have to guy generic silver rounds with a $3 markup instead of a $32 mark up.

[jaqeboy]

By the way, Bernard, Sarah and Rachelle were released on appearance bond. Kevin is still being held. He may need (or may have gotten by now) an immigration attorney to deal with the citizenship issue. As legal costs are high and Kevin has been a good friend to us here with his visits to PorcFest and Liberty Forum his generous presentations, would anyone care to set up a Chip-in for him? I might be able to find out what his present needs are for expenses.

[Fluff and Stuff]

Bernard was in such a hurry to "resolve the legal issue" that he didn't turn himself in immediately after the raid as he suspected his FBI "friend" had wanted him to.  I'm not buying any of this.

I've read the entire indictment.  Certainly some of the charges are nonsense, but I highly doubt he's going to get off scot-free.  I guess we'll all have to guy generic silver rounds with a $3 markup instead of a $32 mark up.

Do you want some generic rounds?  I have plenty.

[John Edward Mercier]

Here's the text of Bernard's email of earlier today, also found here on the LD site.
=============================================================
   LIBERTY DOLLAR ALERT:
June 2009 Vol. 11 No. 06-B

Welcome Liberty Dollar Supporters!

WOW! What a week! In answer to the many inquiries about how the "Liberty Dollar Four" are doing, we feel GOOOOOOOOOOD! As Eric Clapton and the Cream sang so many years ago: "I'm glad, I'm glad, I'm glad!" Sure the handcuffs and shackles, drama of the courtroom and finally making bond is a bit unnerving, but now a week after the arrest it is a lot easier to see the whole picture. We are going to win and going to win BIG!

For many years, Liberty Dollar has quested to belay the fears that the government was going to "come after us." And for quite a number of years we have pursued the government to resolve the legal issue and for the US Mint to remove their "warning" that use of the Liberty Dollar was illegal.

Well, we finally got our wish! Kevin, Sarah, Rachelle and I were arrested and now the government must prove their trumped up charges in court before twelve people. I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to this trial!

Make no doubt about it, this is not going to be easy, without pain or costs. If we want to exercise our right to use gold and silver as a "private voluntary barter currency"; if we want "sound money"; if we want to stop being ripped off of our purchasing power then we have to defend our rights. As stated in Bernard's Second Law of Money: Any law that purports to prohibit an American citizen from using a piece of gold or silver (or, for that matter, anything) in voluntary transactions between consulting adults is preposterous, antagonistic to a free market, and totally without legal merit. Click HERE for the Four Laws of Money.

Currently: Bernard, Sarah and Rachelle are out on Appearance Bond and no initial court date has been set in North Carolina, but it won't be long. Kevin Innes is being held as he is a Canadian citizen and considered a flight risk. While, regretfully Sarah has lost her job when the FBI picked her up at work, Kevin's fate is worse as he may be held till December due to the immigration issue. His initial court date is July 6 but it may be months before he is out. You can help/write/send money order made out to Kevin at:

William K. Innes PID 377054
PO Box 31427
Charlotte NC 28231
Money order must include: Birth date Sept-3-1955 and PID 377054
Remember all mail is read.
Visitation is on Saturday in Charlotte.

And to round out this three-ring circus, the Department of Justice (DOJ) must reply to our two civil lawsuits for recovery of the wrongfully seized material on June 17 and June 20. Stay tuned for more fireworks as government tries to extricate themselves from the wringer... while we keep cranking along

Now, there are several ways for you to help. Of course, sending money is the easiest way... and we gladly accept any and all monies. In fact you can donate right from our shopping cart. Just click HERE. And while "money," be it counterfeit or not, is at the heart of the trial, it is certainly not the only way you can help. Most important, is our need for competent attorney to combat the counterfeit, similitude and confiscation issues. The person needs to be the best we can find and hopefully one who is personally convinced of the Liberty Dollar mission and will WIN! If you know of a HOT attorney, please ask him/her to email our attorney, Rob Stientjes. PLEASE do not send any info directly to our attorney, he bills us by the hour ! If you have a referral, info or support, please email it to Legal@LibertyDollar.org. Thanks!

Another great way to help is simply order some Liberty Dollars! You get more gold, silver and copper while the market is still in its current consolidation low price range and you add to your stash of "inflation proof" currency. Trust me, every order helps! Click HERE for the Shopping Cart.

Special thanks to the special people who choose to make a cash donation to the Liberty Dollar. It is good people like you who are the reason why the Liberty Dollar is still in business. Just as I have put all my money into this effort to return America to value, I gratefully acknowledge an outright donation to be very very special. THANK YOU!

Now, if you want to do more and get your money back and maybe even make 50%, check out the Contingency Club. Just click HERE for info or click HERE to make a contribution.

ARREST DOLLARS: Meanwhile, we are down to our last few Arrest Dollars and the price is now $50! This the one that is specially hand hallmarked by me with a micro "handcuffs" stamp and my federally registered mintmark. Issued only from the day of the raid to the day of my arrest, June 4, 2009. The last few 2009 Arrest Dollars are currently on the Shopping Cart for $50 each. After these are gone, they are gone to eBay for much more money.

GOOD NEWS / BAD NEWS for the Tea Party Dollar Orders: The good news is that the initial order, placed during the 24 HOUR blitz, is due to arrive shortly and we are very hopeful that they will be shipped in time for the Fourth of July events. The bad news is that the dies broke after minting 48,000 T-Dollars. So we will ship 60% of your order as soon as the T-Dollars arrive. The bad news is that unfortunately, there is a backlog for dies Made in USA, so counting time to make the new dies, shipping time to and from China, the balance of all orders, including orders placed during the 24 HOUR blitz, will not arrive until the first part of September. I will post the ETA as soon as it is available. My apologies for this delay. Cracked dies do not happen very often but when they do, it is always a disaster. Again, my apologies.

PS: We still have a few Tea Party Dollars, and while nobody likes to wait, if you don't order now, you will certainly miss out on one of the most talked about issues in the history of the Liberty Dollar! Depending on the legal issues... the T-Dollar may be our last issue... it is certainly history in the making. Get some today. Click HERE to order.

ARTICLES: Have you seen the articles? While not as many as when we were raided, as bad news always sells the best, there has been quite a few articles, even a good one from Lew Rockwell, http://www.mises.org, who branded us the "Liberty Dollar Four." Here are the top five articles. Please click HERE for the articles page.

Head of Asheville Liberty Dollar operation arrested, faces 45 years in prison

FBI cracks down on people using their own money

FBI's Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending June 5, 2009

Asheville man charged in alleged Liberty Dollar fraud scheme

Liberty Dollars never took off as currency

UPDATE ON 30DMA: Have you been tracking the 30 day moving average for silver? As silver has consolidated its price in the $15 to $16 range, the 30DMA has advanced and is now a very solid $14.26. Please note that as the Liberty Dollar had previously Moved Up to the $50 Silver Base, once the 30DMA reaches $16 again, the Liberty Dollar will Move Up to the $50 Silver Base. Look out! Silver is headed to the moon. Please take advantage of this current low low price range and get some today!

Now is the time for action! Please! Buy, spend, use... do something!!!

Many thanks for your continued support. For it is only by banding together and adopting a free and independent currency that provides us with "just weights and measures" will we be able to throw off the yoke of a manipulated monetary/tax system and generate a peaceful and prosperous society.

Thanks for all your efforts to return America to value - one Liberty Dollar at a time!

Bernard von NotHaus
Monetary Architect/Editor
Editor@LibertyDollar.org
www.LibertyDollar.org
888.LIB.DOLLAR
888.421.6181

Quite a mark up he's got going there. He's currently making more on the coin than the original face value when spot silver was $6.

[Little Owl]

Quote from: Little Owl on June 11, 2009, 07:42 PM NHFT
Bernard was in such a hurry to "resolve the legal issue" that he didn't turn himself in immediately after the raid as he suspected his FBI "friend" had wanted him to.  I'm not buying any of this.

I've read the entire indictment.  Certainly some of the charges are nonsense, but I highly doubt he's going to get off scot-free.  I guess we'll all have to guy generic silver rounds with a $3 markup instead of a $32 mark up.

Do you want some generic rounds?  I have plenty.

I just might.  How much do you have, and what do you want for them?  I'm not buying any more until my much delayed precious metal shipment arrives.

[KBCraig]

Quite a mark up he's got going there. He's currently making more on the coin than the original face value when spot silver was $6.

I have plenty of issues with the LD scheme, and I believe that as silver goes, it's a poor investment.

That's got nothing to do with the issue at hand, and it doesn't mean Bernard should be in jail.

[anon88241661]

http://charlotte.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/2009/ce060309.htm

Department of Justice Press Release
white spacer
For Immediate Release
June 3, 2009    United States Attorney's Office
Western District of North Carolina
Contact: (704) 344-6222

Four Defendants Indicted in Unlawful Coin Operation

ASHEVILLE, NC—Bernard von NotHaus, 65, formerly of Evansville, Indiana, and two additional defendants from Evansville, along with William Kevin Innes, 53, of Asheville, North Carolina, have been indicted in U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina on conspiracy and other charges in connection with an alleged unlawful operation to publish, possess and sell for profit, coins in resemblance and similitude to U.S. coins. All four defendants are also charged in the alleged conspiracy with uttering and passing, and attempting to utter and pass, a coin of silver in resemblance of genuine coins of the United States in the denominations of five dollars and greater, and intended for use as current money. The four are also charged with one count of mail fraud, while von NotHaus and Innes are both charged in two additional counts each, with selling and possessing with intent to defraud, Liberty Dollar coins; and with uttering and passing, and attempting to utter and pass, a coin of silver in resemblance of genuine coins of the United States of the denominations of five dollars and greater, and intended for use as current money.

Today's announcement is made by Acting U.S. Attorney Edward R. Ryan for the Western District of North Carolina; Owen Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina, and Van Duncan, Sheriff of Buncombe County, North Carolina.

Acting U.S. Attorney Edward R. Ryan of the Western District of North Carolina said, "When groups seek to undermine the U.S. currency system, the government is compelled to act. These coins are not government-produced coinage, yet purchasers were led to believe by those who made and sold them that they should be spent like U.S. Federal Reserve Notes. Such claims are in violation of federal law."

Defendant William Kevin Innes was arrested on the charges on June 2, 2009, and made an initial appearance before a federal Magistrate Judge in Asheville today. Innes was ordered detained pending a detention hearing which is now set for Monday, June 8, 2009 at 9:35 a.m. before Magistrate Judge David Cayer in the federal courthouse in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Bernard von NotHaus, 65, Honolulu, Hawaii
Pending arrest

Sarah Jane Bledsoe, 42, Evansville, Indiana
Pending arrest

Rachelle L. Moseley, 34, Evansville, Indiana
Pending arrest

According to the allegations contained in the indictment, which was returned and filed under seal by a federal grand jury sitting in Charlotte, North Carolina, on May 19, 2009, since 1998 NORFED, The National Organization for the Repeal of the Federal Reserve and Internal Revenue Codes, together with its officers, members, associates, and customers (collectively NORFED), has been issuing, disseminating, and placing into circulation, including by use of the Postal Service and United States mails, the Liberty Dollar in all its forms throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. The indictment alleges that the purpose of NORFED is to mix Liberty Dollars into the current money of the United States, and further alleges that NORFED intends for the Liberty Dollar to be used as current money in order to limit reliance on, and to compete with, United States currency.

The indictment alleges that members affiliated with NORFED sell the Liberty Dollar coin at a greater price than they pay for it, and that the profit for these individuals is the difference between their discounted purchase price and the price for which they sell the coin. Additionally, according to the allegations contained in the indictment, a person who is not affiliated with NORFED pays the face value minted on the coin.

In the allegations of the indictment, Bernard von NotHaus is described as having been the president of NORFED and the Executive Director of Liberty Dollar Services, Inc. until September 30, 2008. He is also described in the allegations contained in the indictment as the monetary architect of the Liberty Dollar and has been the Regional Currency Officer in Evansville, Indiana where NORFED corporate offices are maintained. According to the indictment, Bernard von NotHaus designed the Liberty Dollar currency in 1998. The indictment alleges that William Kevin Innes is the Asheville, North Carolina Regional Currency Officer for NORFED and one of three members of the NORFED Executive Committee. Also, according to the allegations contained in the indictment, until around March 2008, Sarah Jane Bledsoe was the NORFED Fulfillment Office manager in Evansville, Indiana, and Rachelle L. Moseley works in the Evansville, Indiana corporate office of NORFED and has been employed as the Regional Currency Office Manager and Chief Operations Officer.

"People understand that there is only one legal currency in the United States. When groups try to replace the U.S. dollar with coins and bills that don't hold the same value, it affects the economy. Consumers were using their hard-earned money to buy goods and services, then getting fake change in return," said Owen Harris, the Special Agent in Charge of the Charlotte Division of the FBI. "No one in this country is above or beyond the law, and our law enforcement partners will continue to bring violators to justice."

If convicted, each of the defendants faces a maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment on the conspiracy charged in Count One and a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment on the mail fraud charge in Count Two. As to the additional counts with which von NotHaus and Innes are charged, Count Three (publishing) carries a maximum sentence of 15 years' imprisonment, and Count Four carries a maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment.

The indictment includes a Notice of Forfeiture and Finding of Probable Cause that the defendants forfeit to the United States all of the property involved in the offenses with which they are charged in the indictment, and all property traceable to such offenses.

The case was investigated by the FBI, and the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service, Treasury OIG for Tax Administration, the NC Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan express his gratitude to the United States Mint for its role in the indictment. Ryan characterized the Mint's role as "significant and vital." The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jill W. Rose of the Asheville Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed to innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

A copy of the bill of indictment can be viewed by visiting website:
www.ncwd.uscourts.gov and clicking on the word "news."

[Dave Ridley]

Is it just me or is this story not getting as much play as it should?  I didn't even hear about it myself until today !

[John Edward Mercier]

With all that going on... its not that big an issue.
For one the claim that the LD is 'constitutional money' rather than a 'private exchange medium' makes the case rather news... but not the only case of its type.
While the NORFED operation was large enough for Treasury action, its mostly likely not as large a sum as what Congress spends every hour its in session. And definately not even close to North Korea's production of US currency.

[jaqeboy]

Is it just me or is this story not getting as much play as it should?  I didn't even hear about it myself until today !

I agree, Dave. This should be huge, because it's a struggle for a fundamental right -- AND -- Kevin is in jail! Since there are so many holders of LD's and Bernard (for whatever flaws he or his system have) has been an outspoken advocate for a long time. Kevin has been up here many times and has spoken and tabled at FSP major events... He should be getting a donation of $20 from everyone just to help him get representation. I don't know of a Chip-in yet, but if I learn of one, I'll post it. If you want to do a Ridleo, you can probably get more info from Bernard or from Kevin's girlfriend (I'll PM you the telephone number).

[Little Owl]

If this is just about trying to stamp out any form of voluntary specie barter, why hasn't the fed gone after the many private mint medallions that say things like "One Silver Trade Unit" and such?  Some of the rounds available at the Northwest Territorial Mint bear such markings.  This is not simply a case of trying to shut down a minter of private barter coins.  The indictment has a lot about the likeness of the coins as well as potential confusion among the general populace.

I've always thought denominating them in U.S. $ was a terrible mistake, not simply because it awakens the sleeping dragon, but it adds confusion and neutralizes the whole point of presenting a specie independent of fiat currencies.

Its comforting, especially for liberty activists to jump to the conclusion that this is nothing more than turf protection for the U.S. Treasury.  There is an element of this, as the indictment itself shows, but I also think there is a legitimate concern for the well-being of the general population who don't know the whole story.

[Dave Ridley]

The other possibility, owl, is that this is the first of multiple attacks on competition.  Remember the Feds arrested Spooner's people for his alternate mail service and outlawed private gold ownership within living memory.

There's some advantage to holding liberty activists to a higher standard than government, but that can be taken too far.

Even if Washington does have some legitimate concern about the liberty dollar, they are using force to interfere with the market on behalf of the inferior product.  And this time it is concrete-box, die in jail of old age type force.  It's as wrong as a thing can be.

[Little Owl]

Perhaps, but I see no evidence that they're seeking to bring an end to other forms of private mint medallions.

they are using force to interfere with the market on behalf of the inferior product.

Until we know more, I would file this one under "supposition".  If the government has a legitimate concern that fraud is taking place then we're not dealing with a "free market" and they have every right to interfere.  The specific implementation of the Liberty Dollar is, in my opinion, questionable as to the level of understanding that a would-be customer has.  Without "informed consent" there is no free market.  I believe the government can make a compelling case based on this.

In short, this is where I believe LD blew it:

1) Denomination in dollars - Biggest mistake of all!

2) Warehouse receipts not redeemable by bearer on demand (rumor I've heard.  Can anybody verify this?)

3) Value basis on more than one metal

4) Similitude to historical U.S. coinage.  (Yes, a novice could think these resembled mid-20th century US coinage)

[John Edward Mercier]

I don't think #1 nor #4 really matter. I think its the claim of 'constitutional money'... which is a power granted to Congress.

#2 and #3 is what led to the current economic system... in that while on the gold standard the Congress continued to print dollars far beyond the stated exchange rate of US gold reserve within its depository. And having a silver-based coin in circulation, while on the gold standard led to Grensham's Law taking hold as foreign exchange rates create metal arbitrage that sinks the system.