Alert Clerk Sparks Counterfeiting Bust
A fake $20 bill spotted by a liquor store clerk led U.S. Secret Service agents to bust a large counterfeiting operation in Las Vegas, authorities said Tuesday.
The investigation started when Leroy Raffaelli, 31, of Las Vegas was arrested Jan. 1 on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 at Bill’s Liquor on Beach Boulevard.
An investigation led Huntington Beach police and Secret Service agents to almost $50,000 in inferior-quality counterfeit $100 and $20 bills, as well as stolen credit cards and checks, stashed in cars and a motel room.
Authorities also arrested Las Vegas resident Charles LaRue, 51. Both suspects were charged in mid-January with conspiracy to manufacture fake currency.
Secret Service agents said they followed the investigation to Las Vegas, where they raided a home equipped with computers and printers used to make counterfeit currency.
According to Secret Service Agent Robert Brenner, less than 1% of all money in circulation at any given time is counterfeit.
Authorities are searching for Las Vegas resident Terry Hensley, 41, who is suspected of participating in the operation. Hensley is possibly hiding in Southern California, Brenner said.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
