ALEXANDRIA, VA – The streets of the D.C. metro area aren’t just plagued by violent crime; counterfeit cash has been flowing freely, thanks to two men now facing the consequences. Markee Alexander Brown, 27, and Joseph Andre Robinson, 24, both of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty this week to a conspiracy to pass fake money, a scheme that stretched from June 2017 to January 2019.
The pair wasn’t just making a few bad bills; they were systematically flooding businesses with counterfeit $100 and $50 U.S. banknotes. Their method was simple, yet effective: purchase goods with the fakes and pocket genuine U.S. currency as change. They targeted businesses and restaurants throughout the greater Washington, D.C. area, leaving a trail of bogus bills in their wake. Authorities say approximately 30 of these fraudulent passes were captured on surveillance footage.
The U.S. Secret Service wasn’t fooled. Agents have been diligently collecting evidence for months, amassing “thousands of dollars” in counterfeit federal reserve notes directly linked to Brown and Robinson’s operation. The scope of the operation suggests a brazen disregard for the law and a calculated attempt to profit from fraud.
Both Brown and Robinson pleaded guilty to conspiring to pass counterfeit currency. They now face a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on August 23. While the maximum is set, federal sentencing is rarely straightforward. A federal district court judge will weigh U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors before handing down the final sentence.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brian J. Ebert, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, jointly announced the guilty pleas after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga formally accepted them in court. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas U. Murphy II and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Jones.
For those seeking further details, a press release is available on the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia website. Relevant court documents can be found on the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia website or through PACER, searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-54. This case serves as a reminder that counterfeiting isn’t a victimless crime; it undermines the integrity of the financial system and impacts businesses large and small.
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Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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