History Main / ForeignMoneyIsProofOfGuilt

* In ''Discworld/{{Jingo}}'' the apparent assassin of the visiting prince is apparently paid in Klatchian currency. [[spoiler:This is in fact because the room was staged to make it look "obviously" like the Klatchians paid him, so [[IKnowYouKnowIKnow Vimes would think they didn't]], because they did.]]

* In the XWingSeries, an evil scientist is captured by the New Republic and bargains with them, hoping to spill secrets in return for amnesty, anonymity, and half a million credits. They're the good guys, so she gets it, but the man dealing with her is a Twi'lek who deliberately infuriates her. When he takes her to Coruscant just prior to release she insists repeatedly on Imperial credits, not New Republic ones. The exchange rate's not mentioned, but she does have a permit to carry that much. Then Coruscant security searches her, finds half a million Imperial credits, and arrests her, because that is illegal. The Twi'lek (who's also a trained lawyer) happily informs her that because she was caught [[FramingTheGuiltyParty trying to smuggle it into the capital]] the likely charge will be sedition and a mandatory life sentence, neatly preventing her from walking off and selling enemy her evil science skills under a new name.
** Given the fact that half a million credits is a shit load of money and Coruscant had just recently been taken by the New Republic this is a fairly legitimate crime
*** Which brings in a case of FridgeLogic -Where on... Coruscant did they get half a million Imperial Credits?'
**** Recently conquered, remember? Probably lots of the old regime's cash lying around in banks and people's matresses and whatnot. Not to mention that people will probably be happy to exchange their old money for cash that is legal tender on their world under the new regime.

** ''{{Fridge Logic}}'' - Why is Theron carrying around Persian currency in Sparta? where could he spend it?
*** ''{{Fridge Brilliance}}'' - He was planning to betray Sparta, the Persian coins would've come in quite handy had the Persians defeated and conquered Sparta

* In the BBC series ''{{Sherlock}}'', the detective suspects a car dealer of having organized a crime. He sneaks a peak in the man's wallet and finds quite a large sum of Colombian banknotes, the final clue he needs to solve the case.

** ''{{Fridge Logic}}'' - Why is Theron carrying around Persian currency in Sparta? where could he spend it?

* In ''{{Castle}}'', a victim is suspected to be a spy involved in something highly questionable when his car is discovered with a large quantity of Euros in the trunk. [[Subverted: The victim was ''actually'' on a 'spy vacation' and the Euros were part of the game.]]

* [[TheMarxBrothers Harpo Marx]] was suspected of being a spy when he entered the USSR because he had rubles. But he had simply exchanged his dollars for rubles with another passenger on the train, not knowing that he had to do it through official channels. So in his case ''domestic'' money was proof of guilt.

* Harpo Marx was suspected of being a spy when he entered the USSR because he had rubles. But he had simply exchanged his dollars for rubles with another passenger on the train, not knowing that he had to do it through official channels. So in his case ''domestic'' money was proof of guilt.

* Though not using foreign money, a man accused of robbing several vending machines paid his bail with quarters, dimes, and nickels.

* In the BBC series {{Sherlock}}, the detective suspects a car dealer of having organized a crime. He sneaks a peak in the man's wallet and finds quite a large sum of Colombian banknotes, the final clue he needs to solve the case.

TruthInTelevision in that possessing foreign currency was itself a crime in the USSR. In fact, it is a crime in a lot of countries, although you generally have to have quite a LOT of foreign money to run afoul of it. It's called "currency smuggling".

** ''[[Fridge Logic]]'' - Why is Theron carrying around Persian currency in Sparta? where could he spend it?

** ''Fridge Logic'' - Why is Theron carrying around Persian currency in Sparta? where could he spend it?

** Fridge Logic - Why is Theron carrying around Persian currency in Sparta? where could he spend it?

* In the XWingSeries, an evil scientist is captured by the New Republic and bargains with them, hoping to spill secrets in return for amnesty, anonymity, and half a million credits. They're the good guys, so she gets it, but the man dealing with her is a Twi'lek who deliberately infuriates her. When he takes her to Coruscant just prior to release she insists repeatedly on Imperial credits, not New Republic ones. The exchange rate's not mentioned, but she does have a permit to carry that much. Then Coruscant security searches her, finds half a million Imperial credits, and arrests her, because that is illegal. The Twi'lek (who's also a trained lawyer) happily informs her that because she was caught trying to smuggle it into the capital the likely charge will be sedition and a mandatory life sentence, neatly preventing her from walking off and selling enemy her evil science skills under a new name.

* Variation: In ''[[NightWatch The Day Watch]]'', Vitaly discovers that his bag is full of dollars and immediately thinks he's up to something illegal.

**** Recently conquered, remember? Probably lots of the old regime's cash lying around in banks and people's matresses and whatnot. Not to mention that people will probably be happy to exchange their old money for one that is legal tender on their world under the new regime.

** Given the fact that half a million credits is a shit load of money and Coruscant had just recently been taken by the New Republic this is a fairly legitamate crime
*** Which brings in a case of FridgeLogic -Where on... Coruscant did they get half a million Imperial Credits?