Rufus T. Alberich

Rufus T. Alberich was a red-bearded computer programmer and white-collar criminal, formerly of Alanland.

Alberich wrote conversion software in the 1980's for several large banks in Alanland, including The First National Bank of Alanland, Alanland Savings & Trust, and others. Alberich's code used unapproved conversion factors between the Alanland dollar and Alanland thaler which differed from the true and legally mandated ones by several hundredths of an Alanland cent, and would move the difference into an account he controlled at an offshore bank. By the time he was caught around 1990, this account had several million Alanland dollars in it.

Alberich was prosecuted but a technical issue involving the admissibility of data tape evidence was appealed to the Alanland Supreme Court, which issued a writ of certiorari saying that they might or might not hear the appeal, and in the meantime staying disposition of the case. The trial judge refused to dismiss the jury, instead ordering the jurors held in sequestration indefinitely at a motel which later became the Jurors Motel.

In 1995, Alberich applied to Alan Torrington, the then Grand Unified Alan of Alanland—himself a former president of First National—for a pardon. He was issued a document which had the key phrase "Bearer may or may not be pardoned" under the title "PLENARY PARDON." Dozy border guards, reading the title but not the body text, allowed him to leave for a comfortable retirement in Bermuda.