{"id":10725,"date":"2015-04-04T14:37:30","date_gmt":"2015-04-04T21:37:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=10725"},"modified":"2015-04-04T14:37:30","modified_gmt":"2015-04-04T21:37:30","slug":"feds-cup-of-coffee-purchase-with-100-bogus-bill-helped-take-down-a-uganda-based-counterfeit-ring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=10725","title":{"rendered":"Feds: Cup of Coffee Purchase With $100 Bogus Bill Helped Take Down A Uganda-Based Counterfeit Ring"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Ryan<\/a>
Ryan Andrew Gustafson, 27, the Alleged Mastermind of the Counterfeit Scheme<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

PENNSYLVANIA – <\/strong>A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh indicted four suspects who operated a counterfeit ring that used a website, “Community X,”<\/strong> to manufacture, sell, buy and distribute counterfeit bills, officials announced last week.<\/p>\n

The indictment handed down Wednesday alleges more than $1.4 million in counterfeit money has been seized and passed worldwide, both overseas and in the U.S. as part of this scheme.<\/p>\n

The purchase of a cup of coffee with a $100 counterfeit bill at a Peets Coffee and Tea store in Pittsburgh lead to the arrests in U.S. and Uganda, officials stated.
\n<\/object>
\nThe indictment, returned on \u00a0Wednesday, names the following defendants:<\/strong><\/p>\n
    \n
  • Ryan Andrew Gustafson<\/strong>, 27, aka \u201cJack Farrel\u201d aka \u201cWilly Clock,\u201d a U.S. citizen from Texas currently incarcerated in Kampala, Uganda,<\/li>\n
  • Jeremy J. Miller<\/strong>, 30, aka \u201cSinner,\u201d of Seattle, Washington<\/li>\n
  • Zackary L. Ruiz,<\/strong> 18, aka \u201cMr. Mouse,\u201d of Las Vegas, Nevad<\/li>\n
  • \u00a0Michael Q. Lin<\/strong>, 20, aka \u201cMlin\u201d aka \u201cMr. Casino,\u201d of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The four were charged with conspiracy and counterfeiting acts from December 2013 until December 2014.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u201cToday we announce the dismantling of an international cyber conspiracy in which Ugandan-made counterfeit Federal Reserve Notes were being advertised, bought and sold through online criminal forums then passed in coffee shops and corner stores in neighborhoods across our country,\u201d said U.S. Attorney David Hickton<\/strong> last week.<\/p>\n

    Adding, \u00a0\u201cWorking cooperatively with law enforcement partners in the U.S. and abroad, we were able to quickly infiltrate and disrupt this counterfeit trafficking network and limit losses.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    According to the indictment, \u00a0these are the facts and circumstances surrounding this case:<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    • In late December 2013, Gustafson<\/strong> created his own dark web website called Community-X,<\/strong> which was dedicated to the manufacturing, selling, buying, distribution and passing of counterfeit Federal Reserve Notes (FRNs), which he claimed to have manufactured.<\/li>\n
    • The website contained forums where members discussed the counterfeit bills and shared tips on how best to pass, ship and distribute counterfeit FRNs.<\/li>\n
    • In September 2014, Gustafson redesigned this website into two different sites, a Community-X HQ site, with controlled access and a Community-X Recruitment Center site, which was accessible to the public.<\/li>\n
    • Gustafson<\/strong>, Ruiz<\/strong> and Miller<\/strong> were active members of both sites.\u00a0 Lin<\/strong> was only a member of the Recruitment Site.<\/li>\n
    • Gustafson<\/strong> and others allegedly sold these counterfeit money to purchasers in the U.S.\u00a0 From December 2013 through February 2014, an associate of Gustafson<\/strong> sent DHL packages containing these counterfeit FRNs to individuals in the U.S.<\/li>\n
    • After February 2014, Gustafson<\/strong> had the counterfeit FRNs smuggled into the U.S. by hiding the counterfeit FRNs in glued together pages of fake charity pamphlets.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      The indictment alleges that Ruiz<\/strong>, Miller<\/strong> and Lin<\/strong> had varied levels of roles and responsibilities as participants in the conspiracy.<\/p>\n

      In particular, the indictment alleges that Ruiz and others unpacked the counterfeit money, that Ruiz, Miller and others treated the counterfeit to prepare them for passing .<\/p>\n

      They used the U.S. Postal Service to mail the money to re-shippers and to purchasers. Lin was a purchaser of the FRNs, who offered a guide on how to pass the counterfeit notes through casinos.<\/p>\n

      The indictment alleges more than $1.4 million in counterfeit has been seized and passed worldwide, both overseas and in the U.S. as part of this scheme.<\/p>\n

      Gustafson was charged by Ugandan authorities on Dec. 16 with conspiracy, possession of counterfeit, selling\/dealing in counterfeit and unlawful possession of ammunition.<\/p>\n

      He is presently on trial in Uganda on their charges.<\/p>\n

      All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      PENNSYLVANIA – A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh indicted four suspects who operated a counterfeit ring that used a website, “Community X,” to manufacture, sell, buy and distribute counterfeit bills, officials announced…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10742,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10725","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-main-slider","category-u-s-department-of-justice"],"yoast_head":"\nFeds: Cup of Coffee Purchase With $100 Bogus Bill Helped Take Down A Uganda-Based Counterfeit Ring<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Counterfeit Ring Arrests Made in U.S. and Uganda after more than $1 million passed or seized by authorities\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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