Leon Warnerke

Leon Warnerke was a well-known 19th century currency forger who spent most of his career in south-east London. His name may have been a pseudonym.

Warnerke's place of birth is unknown, but he is thought to have been from either Russia or Moravia. He lived a double life, maintaining a career as a photographer and businessman (in 1875 actually patenting a roll-film holder for paper impregnated with gelatin silver bromide). Nevertheless, Warnerke is thought to have been the head of a group of anarchists and ex-communists and to have engaged in massive and highly successful forgery of European banknotes, with an emphasis on Russian rubles. He was a master paper maker and managed to elude capture throughout his criminal career. It has also been rumored that he faked his own death in 1900.

References

* [http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=883585 "Crisp and even"] . "'The Economist". Retrieved April 10, 2006.
*Leyshon, William E. 1984-2001. [http://www.sharlot.org/archives/photographs/19th/leyshon.pdf "PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE 19th CENTURY: A Process Identification Guide"] . Retrieved April 10, 2006.