2017-07-24 Mon

Four complex counterfeiting attempts were averted by the U.S. Secret Service since April 2016. A 48-year-old Peruvian woman Alejendrina Elsa Quispe Ramirez was arrested in July 2016 at Boston’s Logan Airport for smuggling fake $100 bills worth $1,190,000. 56-year-old Stuart E. Thurber was sentenced to 2½ years of imprisonment in May 2016 without parole for owning digital images for making fake notes. Three laptop computers, two hard drives and two printers that were used to print $100 bills were confiscated. He washed the ink from real banknotes and used his computer and colour printer to create fake $100 notes. 93 fake notes were circulated in Missouri.

24-year-old Christopher Pierce and 20-year-old Harold Jones were arrested in June for passing counterfeit securities. A colour printer and scanner were used to print fake $5, $10, and $20 notes on linen paper. They thought fake notes of lower values will not be easily detected. They used the fake notes at fast food restaurants, gas stations, and nearby businesses to get real currency in return. 20-year-old Gena Armstrong from Georgetown bought paper and a copy machine from an Alexandria office supply store to produce fake $20 notes. She printed a two-sided cut $20 bill, 30 two-sided uncut $20 bills and nine one-sided uncut $20 bills.