LAKE MARY, Fla. – In Seminole County, detectives are actively pursuing leads following reports from several local businesses about transactions involving counterfeit $50 bills.
At least four establishments, including a dining spot, a kava lounge, a smoothie and acai bowl shop, and an ice cream parlor, have informed News 6 that they encountered or identified bogus currency during transactions.
Kaleb Lusczek, who manages Kava Culture in Lake Mary, recounted an incident on December 16 when an employee alerted him to the use of counterfeit money. He explained that two individuals entered the business consecutively and left shortly after.
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“The gentleman entered first,” Lusczek stated. “He stayed for about three to five minutes, ordered a drink, paid, and left. Shortly after, the woman came in,” he added.
According to Lusczek, both the man and woman used fake $50 bills to pay, successfully leaving with genuine change in return.
“They got us for about $100,” said Lusczek. “$100 doesn’t seem like a lot, you know, for a business that’s got a huge rent and huge payroll to pay for things like that, but you know, we are a small business.”
Lusczek says he went on Facebook and saw another business off of Lake Mary Boulevard, SoBol, had posted a similar story. The owner tells our News 6 team that a man and a woman both purchased inexpensive items with a fake $50 bill and pocketed real money in return. He said one of them didn’t even bother to pick up the order after walking away with the cash.
A spokesperson for the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office says their detectives are following active leads in their jurisdiction after taking reports of counterfeit cash at SoBol, and at Bronx House Pizza, which is also off of Lake Mary Boulevard.
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The owner of Bronx House Pizza tells News 6 that a woman came into his restaurant on Dec. 29, and when a machine flagged the $50 as fake, she left quickly. He also shared video from his security cameras with News 6 and the sheriff’s office.
An employee at Ice Spot, an ice cream shop just a few doors down from Kava Culture, told our News 6 crew that a man used a counterfeit $50 bill there as well. Lake Mary Police confirmed their officers responded to reports at both businesses on Wheelhouse Lane, and detectives are investigating.
Lusczek showed our News 6 team a photo of one of the counterfeit bills he says was used at Kava Culture to showcase how convincing the fake cash can be if it’s not put to the test. It’s common practice for businesses to use a currency marker or hold the note to light and look for an image of President Grant in the space to the right of the portrait.
You can learn more about the security features of U.S. currency for each denomination and how to spot counterfeit money here.
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