US
authorities have arrested an American in Uganda for allegedly leading a large
international counterfeiting ring. Ryan
Gustafson, 27, was charged with conspiracy and counterfeiting outside the US
after the fake currency was used at multiple American businesses. Continue..
The US
Secret Service traced the money to Kampala, where they say they found a
counterfeit ring also producing euros, rupees and various African currencies.
The
suspect faces 25 years in prison.
"We
will hold cyber criminals accountable and bring them to justice no matter where
they reside," US Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania David
Hickton wrote in a statement.
Fake US
currency was discovered at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, retail stores and
businesses and traced to a postal box in the area.
Federal
agents determined the currency was being sent from Uganda. A fingerprint on one
of the packages led them to Mr Gustafson, a US citizen who previously resided
in Texas.
Mr Gustafson is said to have
located couriers through an online forum and established contact with them
through private message.
The
Secret Service coordinated with Ugandan authorities to set up an undercover
sting operation to purchase counterfeit currency from the suspect.
He was
arrested, and a subsequent search of his home netted a cache of fake Ugandan
shillings, Congolese francs, Ghanaian cedis, Indian rupees and euros, as well
as various counterfeiting materials.
US
authorities estimate the suspect flooded the market with nearly $2m (£1.28m) in
counterfeit currencies.
Mr
Gustafson has been charged with conspiracy, selling and dealing in counterfeit
currency, and unlawful possession of ammunition.
He
faces a lengthy prison sentence and a fine of $500,000.
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