Legal Definitions - green goods

Green goods is a slang term used to refer to counterfeit currency, particularly U.S. dollar bills, which are predominantly green. It signifies fake money that has been illegally produced to resemble genuine legal tender.

Here are some examples to illustrate the use of this term:

• Example 1: Criminal Investigation

  During a police raid on a suspected counterfeiting operation, officers discovered a sophisticated printing press and large stacks of newly printed, fake twenty-dollar bills. The lead investigator might report to their superior, "We've successfully shut down the operation and seized a substantial quantity of green goods."

  This example illustrates "green goods" as the illegally manufactured counterfeit money found during a law enforcement action, emphasizing its status as evidence in a crime.

• Example 2: Undercover Transaction

  An undercover agent, posing as a buyer, met with a known distributor of fake currency. When the distributor presented a briefcase full of meticulously crafted hundred-dollar bills, he might say, "Here's the green goods you asked for, fresh off the press."

  In this scenario, "green goods" refers to the counterfeit currency being exchanged in an illicit transaction, highlighting its role in criminal commerce.

• Example 3: Business Loss

  A small convenience store owner was reviewing the day's cash receipts and noticed that several fifty-dollar bills felt unusually smooth and lacked the proper security strip. Frustrated, she might tell her employee, "It looks like we accepted some green goods today; we'll have to be more careful checking bills."

  This example demonstrates "green goods" from the perspective of a business that has unknowingly received counterfeit money, underscoring the financial loss and deception involved.