The Trouble with Trillions

Paul Winfield as Lucius Sweet

"The Trouble with Trillions" is the twentieth episode in the ninth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 5, 1998. It was written by Ian Maxtone-Graham and directed by Swinton O. Scott III. The episode sees Homer being sent by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to try to obtain a trillion dollar bill that Mr. Burns failed to deliver to Europe during the post-war era.

All of Springfield is rushing to send out their tax returns just before midnight on April 15. Homer realizes he did not file his tax return. He rushes and provides false information before driving to the post office. The IRS discovers Homer's fraud and he is arrested. Held by the government, Homer says he will do anything to stay out of prison. Agent Johnson of the FBI decides that Homer can be useful. With a hidden microphone under his shirt, Homer uncovers that his coworker Charlie leads a group planning to assault all government officials, but is arrested by the FBI for conspiracy.

With his superiors impressed, Johnson sends Homer on a secret mission. They reveal that in 1945, President Harry S. Truman printed a one trillion-dollar bill to help reconstruct post-war Europe. He handed the bill over to Montgomery Burns to transport to the Europeans. However, the money never arrived and the FBI suspects Burns still has the money with him. Homer is sent in to investigate. Arriving at the Burns estate, Homer searches for the money before Burns, who believes Homer is a reporter from Collier's magazine, reveals that he kept the money on his person. Johnson and Agent Miller burst in and arrest Burns. Burns shouts how the government oppresses the average American. Moved by Burns's speech, Homer knocks out the FBI agents and frees Burns.