Charles Black (counterfeiter)

Charles Black (1928–2012) produced counterfeit British and U.S. currency together with traveller's cheques for a number of years before being arrested. As a testament to his skills, his techniques rendered the U.S Department of the Treasury's detection equipment obsolete. He was born in Lewisham, London.

It was while he was in prison, serving a sentence for car-ringing, that he was introduced to the art of forgery. Black's mastery of the subject could only be exclaimed at by those responsible for his arrest and conviction.

He was locked inside for a jail term for the forgeries.

Upon release, Charles married a Thai national, and set up his introductions firm which was the first of its kind, starring in over 13 talk shows in the United Kingdom including Trisha and Vanessa talking about the subject of Mail Order Brides.

His book Counterfeiter: The Story of a Master Forger (ISBN 0-312-03805-4) was published in 1989, whilst the collections of the Crime Museum at New Scotland Yard includes a set of his printing plates, a series of his forged bank-notes and a hollowed out kitchen door he once used to conceal some of them.