The Daily Fuckup

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan say two North Macedonia nationals were charged in connection with an alleged “Trump Bucks” operation that used Donald Trump’s name and image to peddle a fake form of legal tender. The Justice Department said in a May 13, 2026, statement that it unsealed separate indictments charging Goran Spiridonov and Kristina Janeva with federal crimes tied to the scheme. Both defendants remain at large.

According to the indictments, the alleged operation has run since at least 2023 and was marketed mainly through an online marketplace and encrypted messaging apps, including Telegram. Prosecutors say the products included items such as Golden Checks, Membership Booklets, Golden Badges, Trump Dollars, Trump Checks, Golden Trump Checks and Diamond Bucks. The government says the items were worthless, had no real financial value and were presented as if they were part of a so-called Trump Rebate Banking System.

The filings say the sales pitch falsely claimed the products were affiliated with Trump, his family, the Trump Organization and members of the Trump administration. Prosecutors also say buyers were told purchases would help fund Trump’s reelection campaign or other causes tied to him, and that some products were supposedly loaded with tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars that could be redeemed at banks during a Trump presidency. Justice Department officials say the scheme has collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from victims across the country, many of them seniors, and warned the conduct may still be ongoing.

Spiridonov and Janeva are each charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. Each is also charged with aggravated identity theft. The charges are allegations, not proof. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until a court decides otherwise.