TEMPE, Ariz. — A Home Depot employee in Tempe is accused of swapping out nearly $387,500 of the store's cash with counterfeit money.
Adrian Jean Pineda is facing federal criminal charges after the U.S. Secret Service arrested the suspect on Jan. 31. Investigators allegedly found more than $32,000 in fake and genuine cash in Pineda's possession at the time of the employee's arrest.
Pineda was a vault associate at Home Depot, meaning the suspect was responsible for counting the store's cash, sealing cash bags, and depositing the money to Wells Fargo Bank.
The Secret Service, which is tasked with investigating counterfeiting crimes, said Pineda had been switching out the store's cash for the last four years.
“This case illustrates the continued commitment of the Secret Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigating and prosecuting counterfeit violations," said Secret Service Phoenix Field Office Special Agent Frank Boudreaux Jr.
Pineda is scheduled to make a court appearance next week.
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