Sovereign citizens misuse the phrase “Special Trust Deposit” by falsely claiming that the government holds a secret bank account for each citizen, containing vast sums of money. They think that their birth certificates or Social Security numbers are what fund this account, and that they can access it using a variety of fictitious legal means and financial instruments. However, this concept has no basis in reality or law. Here’s a breakdown of what it is and why it’s a sovereign citizen myth:
- Sovereign Citizen Belief: Sovereign citizens believe the U.S. government holds a “Special Trust Deposit” in their name, often with millions of dollars. They claim this trust was created from various sources, like their Social Security payments or birth certificates.
- Nonexistent Accounts: There’s no basis in reality for these trust accounts. The U.S. government doesn’t create such accounts for individual citizens.
- Goals of the Scheme: Sovereign citizens use the “Special Trust Deposit” story for a couple of reasons:
- Negate Debt: They believe they can access these fictional funds to pay off any debt, including taxes, or even claim a windfall.
- Challenge the System: It’s a way to delegitimize the government’s authority to collect taxes by claiming they already have your money in a trust.
- Why it’s wrong:
- Fabricated Accounts: There’s no evidence to support the existence of these trust accounts. It’s a sovereign citizen’s invention.
- Doesn’t Erase Obligations: Even if these accounts were real, they wouldn’t negate your legal responsibility to pay taxes or other debts.
- Can have legal consequences: In some cases, pursuing this tactic with courts or financial institutions could lead to sanctions or even charges for filing fraudulent claims.
Here’s what to remember:
- The fictional “Special Trust Deposit” scheme is one that sovereign citizens use to escape financial obligations.
- There’s no basis in reality for these trust accounts.
Citations:
- A QUICK GUIDE TO SOVEREIGN CITIZENS, UNC School of Government: https://www.sog.unc.edu/sites/www.sog.unc.edu/files/course_materials/Sovereign%20citizens%20brief%20guide%20Mar%2013.pdf This guide mentions that sovereign citizens frequently file “Registered Warrant Claim for Trust Special Deposit” documents, showcasing their belief in these non-existent accounts.
- The Sovereign Citizen Movement, Southern Poverty Law Center: https://www.splcenter.org/ This resource provides a comprehensive overview of the sovereign citizen movement, including their various tactics and beliefs, such as the “Special Trust Deposit” concept.
