Pennsylvania Police are investigating an incident where a 52-year-old woman from Avoca attempted to use a counterfeit $50 bill at a slot machine on May 25 at the Mohegan Pennsylvania Casino.
The slot machine rejected the cash. When the woman went to the main cage to exchange it for another bill, she learned that the bill was not real and labeled “For Motion Picture.”
Pennsylvania State Police are still investigating a separate counterfeit case for the same casino from December 2023
“We take the issue of counterfeit cash very seriously and are working closely with law enforcement agencies to track down those responsible for producing and circulating fake money,” said a spokesperson for the casino.
Anyone with information is asked to contact PSP BGE Wilkes-Barre Gaming Office.
In December 2023, Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) also discovered a phony $100 bill at the same Mohegan Pennsylvania Casino. The US Secret Service was later contacted, and the federal law enforcement agency confiscated the money upon investigating the case.
According to the state’s “Chapter 41 Forgery and Fraudulent Practices,” Forgery is a felony of the second degree “if the writing is or purports to be part of an issue of money, securities, postage or revenue stamps, or other instruments issued by the government, or part of an issue of stock, bonds or other instruments representing interests in or claims against any property or enterprise.”
Forgery is a felony conviction for a misdemeanor of the first degree, the lowest of the forgery offenses, for counterfeiting money. The person found guilty is subject to a sentence of up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000.
Felonies of the third degree for counterfeit in the Keystone State are punishable by prison and/or up to a $15,000 fine
Felonies of the third degree are punishable by a term of up to seven years in prison and/or a fine of up to $15,000.
In Pennsylvania, police define an object labeled as “counterfeit mark” if it meets all of the following:
(1) Is applied to, used or intended to be used in connection with an item or service.
(2) Is identical with or substantially indistinguishable from a mark registered and in use in this Commonwealth, any other state or on the principal register in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, whether or not the person knew the mark was registered.
(3) The application of which is either: (i) likely to cause confusion, to cause mistake or to deceive; or (ii) otherwise intended to be used on or in connection with the item or service for which the mark is registered.
Additionally, it can be labeled counterfeit if the object(s) is any of the following: badges, boxes, cans, cases, charms, containers, documentation, emblems, fabric, goods, handtags, labels, medallions, packaging, patches, stickers, and wrappers.
Any other falsified components of a type or nature that are designed, marketed, or otherwise intended to be used on or in connection with any goods or services can be considered counterfeit.
