Counterfeiters arrested for using Spanish phrase on US $100 bills
Shawn Norris
There are smart criminals out in the world that take their time and put a little effort into their work. And then there are lazy criminals that print $100 bills with both Spanish and English words on them. Those criminals get caught.
Jose Portillio and Ronald Virto are morons that really don’t have much of an eye for details. Or maybe they are just the two most arrogant and lazy criminals that the world has ever seen. Either way, they seem to spend a good portion of their fake wealth on alcohol.
Police say Jose Portillio, 30, was subsequently arrested and charged with Driving Under the Influence on June 3 and three $100.00 counterfeit U.S. Currency bills were found in his car.
Turns out his buddy Ronald Virto also likes to partake in the sauce. Because after they arrested Portillio for his DUI and conterfeit cash, they raided Virto’s home where they came across another 59 fake bills and were then graced with the presence of a drunken Virto.
While officers were still at the house, Virto arrived home intoxicated and arrested for DUI, authorities say. Virto confirmed that the bills were brought from Peru in his son’s backpack to get them through customs.
It was only his 4th DUI in the past 10 years! So we know what two drunk criminals do with their fake cash, but just how drunk do you have to be to think you can somehow get away with using these bills when they obviously have one major flaw to them? I’m guessing pretty to very drunk.
In addition to the quality and type of paper used to make the counterfeit bills, they bear the words, “BILLETE DE LA SUERTE ALASITAS” in Spanish on the front side of the bill where it should display a set of numbers.
I don’t know who to be more upset at: the guys that printed these bills thinking that they wouldn’t get caught; the people who used the bills knowing good and well that at some point (I’m guessing immediately) someone was going to realize that most US currency doesn’t contain any Spanish phrases on it; or the people who actually took the bills thinking they were real currency.
Apparently, “Billete De La Suerte Alasitas” roughly translates to “lucky ticket.” Oh boy, it looks like these two will finally get to tour the Chocolate Factory! As long as that chocolate factory is located somewhere in a federal prison system.
Men Arrested for Fake $100 Bills; Police Search for More [WJLA]
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