Waterville Swindler Jailed for Counterfeit Coin Dealings

Bangor, Maine – In a brazen fraud scheme that stretched across the Pine Tree State, Mwashuma M. Sithole, 32, of Waterville, Maine, has been sentenced to 10 months in federal prison for selling counterfeit Morgan dollars.

Sithole pleaded guilty on May 9, 2016, to the crime after authorities discovered he had been ordering and selling fake coins online since May 2014. The defendant, who hocked and sold nearly $12,000 worth of phony Morgan dollars, was caught in a massive crackdown that netted over 1200 counterfeit coins at his residence on January 22, 2015.

According to court records, the Waterville man paid about $2 for each coin he received from China. The coins were strikingly similar to genuine Morgan dollars, complete with convincing design and weight. Despite knowing the truth, Sithole duped buyers into thinking they were purchasing authentic pieces of history.

The defendant’s fraudulent activities took place in Augusta, Newport, Farmington, Lewiston, and South Portland. His sentence includes three years of supervised release following his prison term.

This investigation was a collaborative effort by local and federal law enforcement agencies including the Augusta, Waterville, Auburn, Lewiston, South Portland, and Newport Police Departments; Franklin County Sheriff’s Office; Maine State Police; and the U.S. Secret Service.

Assistant United States Attorney F. Todd Lowell spearheaded the legal action against Sithole. For more information or to arrange an interview, contact him at (207) 945-0373.