FRANK C. BEREK (1886-?), AKA FRANK BRIGHTER

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V19 2016 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 19, Number 44, October 30, 2016, Article 13

John Lupia submitted the following information from his Encyclopedic Dictionary of Numismatic Biographies for this week's installment of his series. Thanks! As always, this is an excerpt with the full article and bibliography available online. This week's subject is counterfeiter Frank C. Berek, also known as Frank Brighter. -Editor

Frank C. Berek (1886-?), AKA Frank Brighter was born in Poland 1886, son of German-Poles. When he came to America is uncertain since he also claimed to have been born in South America. He worked as a tailor, photographer, and printer. His area of specialization was Federal Reserve Bank Notes. He liked them so much he began counterfeiting them in Seattle, Washington while in business with his partner Hans Groosli, both men owning a tailing shop. Berek was imprisoned in 1914 in the federal penitentiary on McNeil's Island for counterfeiting $5 and $20 Notes of the Bank of Montreal, Canada. He was released in 1918 and immediately began counterfeiting $100 Federal Reserve Notes of the Bank of Dallas, Texas. He was soon arrested and taken prisoner but escaped on a train en route to McNeil's Island. The Evening Tribune, Saturday, August 10, 1918, page 8 reported :

"the workmanship of the counterfeit bills is of the highest order, the red silk lines in the back being imitated perfectly by the use of ink. The paper and printing are first class, and the vignette of Franklin on the face of the note is of such a character that it would disarm suspicion anywhere. The quality of the work is indicated by the fact that one of the bills was presented to two banks in San Diego, and after a critical examination the bank officers were not willing to declare that the bill was bogus."

No newspaper notice appeared subsequently informing the public he was captured. No further information about Frank Berek has been found. Anyone with any information of the whereabouts of Frank Berek please inform, no, not the police, I'm sure he passed away by now, but rather, write me or Wayne Homren, editor of the E-Sylum and post what you have.

He changed his name so frequently it is hard to trace him out. I could not find any newspaper article resolving the case that he was finally caught and sent to prison.

To read the complete article, see:
BEREK, FRANK (www.numismaticmall.com/numismaticmall-com/berek-frank)