Baby Counterfeiter Blames Dad

By Chuck Sudo in News on Oct 25, 2010 1:37PM

The Sun-Times ran a story yesterday on Arthur Williams III, son of a legendary Bridgeport counterfeiter. The son, at 20, faces his second counterfeiting charge in the past two years.

To give you an idea of where Arthur Williams III came from, you have to start with his father. Arthur Williams, Jr. is widely regarded as one of the most talented counterfeit artists of the past quarter century, creating a near-perfect replica of the 1996 New Note. Arthur Williams, Jr. was the subject of author Jason Karsten's book The Art of Making Money. Williams III is asking for leniency from Judge Amy St. Eve, writing in a letter that he was 10 when he saw his father printing fake bills and 14 when he first started helping his father. Karsten also has a song Williams III recorded called "Mr. Counterfeit." Karsten theorizes that Williams III didn't have much of a choice following his father's footsteps. Karsten also posits in his book that Williams, Jr. also had paternal issues, risking being caught to reconnect with his estranged father.