Funny Money: Man Accused of Exchanging Fake $100 Bills for Genuine Money

An 18-year-old Milwaukee man is accused of trying to change out $100 counterfeit bills at a Wauwatosa department store for genuine cash.

Jonte Johnson was charged Friday in Milwaukee County Circuit Court with one count of felony forgery. If convicted, he could face up to six years imprisonment, $10,000 in fines, or both. 

Wauwatosa police responded to Kmart, 3201 N. Mayfair Rd., for a report of a man passing counterfeit bills. Store security told police they saw Johnson on surveillance video passing several $100 bills to his girlfriend, a Kmart cashier, to make change, according to the criminal complaint.

In one incident, Johnson allowed a woman to pass him in line, then his girlfriend kept the register open and gave him change for a $100 bill, according to the court documents.

Police were able to apprehend Johnson in the store’s parking lot, and recover $275 in cash from his pockets and three $100 bills from the register, police say. All of the cash was later determined to be counterfeit by police, court documents say. 

The store cashier told police Johnson came in several times and purchased small items like gum or a can of soda with the $100 bills, the criminal complaint says. She said she didn’t know the bills were fake and blamed Kmart for not training her on how to spot counterfeit money, police say. 

Johnson told police he sold a car to someone for $800 and received $400 in fake money. He went into Kmart to try and exchange it for real money, the court documents say.

Johnson’s preliminary court hearing is scheduled for July 10, according to online court records.