1129: Russ Swain | The Good Mormon Who Made Bad Money

27 snips

Mar 18, 2025

Russ Swain, a former counterfeiter and art forger, shares his wild journey from creating minor forgeries to elaborate counterfeit currency. He reveals how small ethical slips spiraled into a full-blown addiction to the thrill of risk and deception. With ingenious techniques like diamond dust for authenticity, he wove artistry into crime. Swain reflects on the heavy toll on his conscience, personal relationships, and faith, emphasizing the potential for redemption and the choice between using talents for good or harm.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

Hand-Painted Postage Stamp

Russ Swain's counterfeiting career started with a hand-painted postage stamp.
This creativity landed him a job as an art director, showing how thinking outside the box can be beneficial.

ANECDOTE

Failed Brochure Project

Russ Swain borrowed $10,000 from a loan shark to finance a large brochure project.
The project failed due to the client's racism, pushing Swain towards counterfeiting to repay the loan.

INSIGHT

Counterfeiting Money

Swain's knowledge of printing and design led him to believe he could counterfeit money.
He decided to use 100% rag paper, similar to real currency, to start his counterfeiting operation.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

From postage stamps to diamond-dusted $20s: Former counterfeiter Russ Swain takes us inside the addictive world of artistic forgery and its moral reckoning.

What We Discuss with Russ Swain:

Russ Swain's counterfeiting career began with painting a postage stamp for a job application. This minor forgery later evolved into currency counterfeiting when financial troubles hit, demonstrating how small ethical compromises can cascade into major criminal activity.
Russ became physiologically addicted to the fear and risk of passing counterfeit bills. The constant state of alertness produced adrenaline rushes that became compelling enough to override moral concerns.
Russ' operation showcased remarkable ingenuity: diamond dust for texture authenticity, printed textile fibers, and UV-inhibiting suntan lotion in the ink. This demonstrated how artistic talents can be repurposed for illicit endeavors.
Despite financial gains, Russ paid heavily with his conscience, describing it as a "ghost" that constantly questioned his new identity. The ultimate price included divorce, church excommunication, and having to explain his crimes to his children.
A full-circle moment with Russ' former high school principal shows how our talents can be redirected toward positive ends when we
. We all have skills that can serve either harm or healing — the application remains our choice.
And much more...

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1129

And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!

This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals

Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!

Subscribe to our once-a-week Wee Bit Wiser newsletter today and start filling your Wednesdays with wisdom!

Do you even Reddit, bro? Join us at r/JordanHarbinger!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.