The US Secret Service has called on Congress to pass tougher counterfeiting laws because criminals are getting light sentences when found guilty of making fake money with personal computers and inkjet printers. The Counterfeit division of the Secret Service claims computer generated counterfeiting accounted for 19% of all currency seized in fiscal 1997, and 43% of all forged money recovered in the first five months of fiscal 1998. The division claims counterfeiters are getting away with lighter sentences under federal law, which dictates a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, but much lighter sentences for amounts under $5,000.
