The Court of North Carolina has condemned Bernard von NotHaus for creating a “free dollar” currency which was intended to substitute usual US dollars. According to the information on the Charlotte FBI web-site von NotHaus can be imprisoned for at least 15 years for issuing and distributing his own currency.
Bernard von NotHaus has established the “National Organization to Abolish the FRS and Cancel Tax Legislation” which was named the Liberty Services in 1998. At that time von NotHaus developed the design of the “free dollars” coins: they contained a dollar sign ($), “dollar” and “USA” words and “Trust in God” phrase (instead of “In God We Trust”). The new dollars’ design was similar with the official American currency.
"Free dollars" were minted of silver, gold and copper. In 2009 20 “free dollars” cost as one ounce of silver.
According to the von NotHaus’s idea “free dollars” should be in circulation along with US dollars. By 2005 the founder of the Liberty Services had issued several tones of coins in amount of 7 million US dollars.
Investigation of the Bernard von NotHaus’s financial activity started in 2005. Next year the US Mint had published a press-release which informed about illegality of the “free dollars”. In 2007 all documents, precious metals and coins were withdrawn from the von NotHaus’s office. In 2009 official accusations were brought against the developer of the “free dollars”.
According to the results of assize, which had been lasted for 8 days, von NotHaus was condemned to two suits. For creating and distributing of illegal currency he can be imprisoned for 15 years and has to pay a fine in amount of 250 thousand US dollars; for issuing of coins and backstage collusion against the USA he can be imprisoned for 5years and pay a fine in amount of 250 thousand US dollars. The Court called von NotHaus’s activity as “an inside form of terrorism”. The Court will continue to pass a sentence on the 4th of April.