SACRAMENTO, Calif. – John Lamont Winn, 53, of Vallejo, is headed to federal prison after a jury found him guilty of unleashing a flood of counterfeit $100 bills on Northern California casinos and banks. U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley handed down a sentence of two years and nine months on Thursday, bringing a close to a case that exposed a brazen scheme to profit from fake cash.
The scheme unfolded last June when Winn, along with two unnamed associates, targeted a Lincoln casino, passing approximately $6,600 in counterfeit bills across six transactions in under an hour. Casino staff, thankfully, caught onto the scheme when their bank flagged the bills as fakes. Just three days later, Winn and another accomplice upped the ante, attempting to deposit roughly $29,200 in counterfeit currency at two banks in Winn’s hometown of Vallejo.
Bank employees in Vallejo were more vigilant, holding the suspect bills due to their questionable appearance. The U.S. Secret Service was called in, quickly confirming the currency was, indeed, counterfeit. The total amount of fake money Winn attempted to circulate: a staggering $35,800. The Secret Service investigation linked Winn directly to the fraudulent transactions, building a case that ultimately led to his conviction after a four-day trial.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew G. Morris and Quinn Hochhalter presented the evidence, painting a clear picture of Winn’s deliberate attempt to defraud businesses. The jury didn’t buy Winn’s defense, delivering a guilty verdict on May 3, 2018. The operation wasn’t sophisticated; it was a gamble that failed spectacularly, leaving Winn facing significant time behind bars.
Judge Nunley didn’t just impose a prison sentence. Winn was also ordered to pay a total of $16,600 in restitution to the casino and the banks he targeted. While restitution won’t fully recover the losses, it’s a small measure of accountability for the damage Winn inflicted on these businesses. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, led by McGregor W. Scott, emphasized the importance of prosecuting such schemes.
This case serves as a stark reminder that counterfeiting is a serious federal crime, and the Secret Service takes it very seriously. Winn’s attempt to inject fake currency into the economy has cost him nearly three years of his life. The investigation highlights the Secret Service’s ongoing commitment to protecting the integrity of the U.S. financial system, one fake bill at a time. The Department of Justice Eastern District of California handled the prosecution.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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