Rochester Man Copped to Peddling Fake Gold Coins

Timothy Meacham, 32, of Rochester, NY, is off the streets—but not behind bars—after being sentenced to three years probation for a brazen counterfeit coin scam that netted him $5,000 in cold cash from an unsuspecting buyer. U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford also ordered Meacham to pay $5,184.00 in restitution, closing the book on a fraud that exploited grief, greed, and the anonymity of online marketplaces.

The crime unfolded in May 2017, when Meacham posted a deceptive ad on Craigslist offering two genuine United States gold collector coins. Using a false name and hiding his phone number, he masked his identity like a digital con artist with a taste for vintage swindle. The bait worked. A buyer from Pennsylvania took the hook, driving hundreds of miles to Rochester believing he was securing a rare investment.

On May 15, 2017, the victim handed over $5,000 in cash for the so-called gold coins—coins Meacham falsely claimed had been passed down from his deceased grandfather. In a calculated twist of emotional manipulation, Meacham spun a tale about needing the money to cover funeral expenses after the sudden death of a family member. The story was as fake as the coins.

Back home in Pennsylvania, the buyer’s excitement turned to rage when experts confirmed the coins were worthless counterfeits. The victim didn’t hesitate—he contacted the United States Secret Service in Rochester, triggering a federal investigation that quickly zeroed in on Meacham. Digital breadcrumbs from the Craigslist post and transaction patterns sealed his fate.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Rossi, who laid out the evidence with surgical precision. The Secret Service, under Special Agent-in-Charge Lewis Robinson, ran down the trail of deception and secured the conviction. No weapons, no violence—just a cold, calculated fraud that preyed on trust and nostalgia.

Meacham’s sentence reflects the non-violent nature of the crime, but the damage lingers. The $5,184 restitution includes the original $5,000 plus investigation-related costs. While he avoids prison, his name is now etched in federal records—a cautionary tale for anyone who thinks Craigslist is a lawless frontier for selling fake fortune.

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