BANKNOTE FRAUDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20596, 21 June 1930, Page 13

BANKNOTE FRAUDS.

PORTUGUESE SENSATION. ¥

ACCUSED SENT TO GAOL.

(Received June 21, 12.55 a.m.) LISBON, June 20

The banknote frauds case ended to-day when the brothers Antonio and Jose Bandeira, Alves Reis, and the Swiss-German, Ilennies, were sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from eight to twentyfive years. Senorita Reis was sentenced to 10 months in gaol.

The evidence showed that accused forged the signatures of directors of the Bank of Portugal and obtained a supply of genuine notes from the printers in England. Theso they smuggled into Portugal in diplomatic bags with Antonio Bandeira's assistance.

The conspirators then established Angola Bank and tried to buy up shares in the Bank of Portugal to obtain control of it so as to hide the traces of their swindle. The Angola Bank had plenty of money in 1925, when other institutions were impoverished. That fact aroused suspicions and the frauds were unmasked.

A special tribunal commenced the trial at Lisbon on May 11 of Antonio Bandeira, ex-Portuguese Minister at The Hague, his brother, Jose, and also Alves Reis, who were charged with circulating in 1925 an unauthorised issue of Bank of Portugal notes in connection with the establishment of the Angola Bank. The trial opened in a Military Court, which was too small to accommodate the 138 witnesses and numerous counsel. Tho Judge pleaded for patience, and went out in search of additional chairs. He later presided at the drawing of lots for jurymen from 36 Judges, which his own nine-year-old son carried out. The case had barely begun when the Judge announced that the military authorities required the courtroom, and the hearing was adjourned.