ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. —
Four New York men are facing charges in a scheme to buy merchandise with counterfeit cash and return it for real money.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday says those four men targeted stores in 16 counties, including Allegheny.
According to officials, Fitzroy James, Fabian Coke, Gabriel Young, and Christopher Nicholas targeted retailers like Kohl’s, Target, Home Depot, Lowe’s to make purchases using counterfeit cash.
According to court records, they were able to profit by at least $12,436 from the returns.
“This out-of-state band of thieves knowingly passed fake bills with a plan to return items for real cash — that is organized retail theft, pure and simple,” Attorney General Sunday.
In addition to Allegheny County, records say the group frequented stores in Berks, Blair, Bucks, Centre, Chester, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Lancaster, Lebanon, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton and York counties.
All four have been charged with organized retail theft, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, conspiracy, and other offenses.