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Press Release

Broward Resident Charged with Passing and Possessing Counterfeit Money

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida

A Pompano Beach, Florida, resident was charged by Information yesterday in Fort Lauderdale with possessing and passing counterfeit currency.

Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Paula A. Reid, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office, and William R. Latchford, Chief, Seminole Police Department, made the announcement.

Bernardo Lecaros, 35, was arrested by the Seminole Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service on December 20, 2014, for passing counterfeit notes at the Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

According to the documents filed with the court, on both December 10, 2014 and December 14, 2014, Lecaros passed $5,400 in counterfeit currency at the Seminole Classic Casino. Lecaros possessed an additional $37,800 in counterfeit currency. If convicted, Lecaros faces up to twenty years imprisonment, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution as to each count.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of USSS and the Seminole Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Katz.

An Information is only an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

Updated March 25, 2015

Topic
Financial Fraud