Franz Felhaber's Millions

Not long ago, a man named Franz Felhaber showed up at the US Treasury Department with a suitcase in hand. The bag contained 5.2 million in dollar bills so badly damaged that the stacks had turned to stone. Felhaber claimed the cash had been buried in Mexico for years, and he wanted to exchange it for a check.

Exchanging damaged currency is more common than you'd think. Let's say your crazy uncle hid a fortune in the walls of his rickety old house. By the time you discover it, the money's been thoroughly nibbled by rodents. Fortunately, you aren't necessarily out of luck. The Treasury Department will probably swap the damaged money for crisp, new bills.

But this wasn't the first time Franz Felhaber had tried such a trade. Over the past few years, he and two of his relatives have attempted to exchange over 20 million dollars in petrified dollars. And each time, their story changes.

They've claimed the money was . . .

1. Found in a suitcase buried in an alfalfa field.
2. Dug up next to a tree in Chihuahua, Mexico.
3. Discovered inside a coffin at the end of a treasure map.
4. Inherited from a wealthy relative.
5. Stored in a basement for 22 years.

Sounds fishy, right? But the thing is, no one can prove that the money came from illegal sources. None of the people involved appear to be engaged in criminal activities. And finding money isn't a crime. So what do you think the government should do?

Read more here.