It’s good to be king. At least, it’s good to be syndicated, which is much the same thing.
Forget celebrities protesting the war. We’ve got celebrities doing their part to bring down the world economy. TV actor Don Johnson was nabbed crossing the Swiss-German border with 8 billion dollars in securities in his car:
“Nash Bridges” actor Don Johnson is starring in a real-life episode of international intrigue – and he’s not at all pleased with the casting.
German customs authorities are investigating Johnson after he was stopped with financial instruments valued at $8 billion, according to published reports. That’s right: They say $8 billion.
Officials are trying to discover whether there is a case for a money-laundering probe, a spokesman for the Customs Investigations Office in Cologne told Deutsche Presse-Agentur.
No charges have been filed, but U.S. Customs and tax officials have been told Johnson had a suitcase filled with stock certificates, bonds, credit notes and checks when officials stopped his car at the Swiss-German border in November.
Johnson’s rep Elliott Mintz confirmed that the actor went through “a routine border check by customs officials. After a few minutes, they waved the car on.”
Mintz told us the former “Miami Vice” star did not have securities. “He does travel with extra cash, but it is unlikely he would have an extra $8 billion,” said Mintz. “Don has done well for himself, but not that well.”
Mintz added, “If he is under investigation, no one has contacted him.”
The German news show “Aspect” reported that, asked why he needed so much money, Johnson allegedly replied: “I am going to buy a car.” A customs officer is said to have replied: “With that kind of money, you could buy the factory.”
Eight billion.
Eight billion.
Now, either Mr. Johnson has access to the world’s sloppiest rental car company, or there is a fucking underground economy the likes of which you and I are never, ever going to get near. Seedy TV stars who get recognized and usually waved on through checkpoints of all stripes (including those damn security gates) are acting as mules—I’m quite sure Mr. Johnson was going to get a nice fee for his part.
Eight billion dollars.
You ever wonder what celebrities do when their TV shows run out? Now we know.
Don Johnson was on Larry King and denied all of it – said Tabloid Journalism was behind it all. Pure fabrication where the $ was concerned. Yes, he was stopped in a routine check. He had a few hundred dollars and credit cards in his pockets and that was all. Larry seemed to believe him :). It seems unlikely that anyone would launder 8 BILLION at one time, it would be too obvious.
I wonder if this was Pee Wee Griffin’s money. Pee Wee was convicted out of Florida for drug smuggling. He and Don used to hang out on the SC coast racing their Miami Vice style boats.
I was wondering about the Pee Wee, Carlos Ledher, Nigel Bowe past (if any) with Don Johnson. I had a friend who had a contact who said the same about Don and Pee Wee racing off SC. Billy… email me! Gene@GeneTaylor.US
@Michele: he wasn’t denying the fact he had 8 bln USD in his car, he was denying it was used for illegal purposes. Quite a difference from what you were saying!
http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/TV/03/16/don.johnson.ap/
Funny thing, you should note.
1). He must have known 8 billion-ish was in the car he was driving. There is noway he could deny that.
2). There is now way he didnt get some pay-off. (If you found out you were used as bascially a mule for $8 billion – you’d want your cut for getting accross the border without major problems.)
3). He said he was in Switzerland for a movie project financing or buying a car ?
The documents were there to prove his investors could finace a movie. With $8 billion he could buy a major stake in the biggest movie studios in Hollywood.
$8 billion for a car, from Europe, He lives in USA!
You see his company was recently (2005) gone into bankruptcy, before the asssets could be auctioned off including his ranch, he made the all back payments including taxes and interest in one go,paid off so he could still keep it. If he had finacial problems before – he doesnt seem he has them now!
Dont get me wrong I dont think he was involved in any illegal activites just acted to get a “Package” out of a country. But he certainly got his cut.