NY Men Spent $2K in Fake Money at Mall, Cops Say

Two New York men were charged with forgery after making more than $2,000 in purchases at the Monday using counterfeit $100 bills, reported.

Brothers Rudy Nicolas, 26, and Patrick Nicolas, 24, of Queens Village, N.Y., were each charged with forgery. Patrick Nicolas was also charged with eluding and issued four summonses for leading police on a high-speed chase along Route 46, police said.

An employee working at the Apple store informed mall security and the police that a man attempted to make a purchase using $700 worth of counterfeit money and fled the store shortly before 5 p.m., leaving the bills behind, Officer Robert Franciose said in an incident report. Police said the man, later identified as Patrick Nicolas, was in the store twice on Monday making purchases with counterfeit bills.

Rudy Nicolas attempted to use six fake $100 bills at Express in the mall. 

Police spotted Patrick Nicolas and began pursuing his vehicle on Route 46 westbound. The vehicle drove on the shoulder, travelling 60 and 70 miles per hour, before stopping in the Houlihan’s parking lot, police said.

Police brought the Apple store employee to the scene where he positively identified the driver, Patrick Nicolas, as the man who tried to use the counterfeit bills earlier, police said.

Police found bags of merchandise from several mall stores in the car, Franciose reported.

Various stores reported finding $2,150 counterfeit bills in their possession, in addition to the $700 left at the Apple store; the merchandise was returned to the stores, the report states.

The Apple employee told police Patrick Nicolas attempted to use counterfeit money at the Apple store in the recently, but fled the store and left bills there as well, the report states.

Police contacted the U.S. Secret Service and an agent responded to Wayne police headquarters to interview the men, the report states.

Patrick Nicolas was charged with forgery and eluding. Rudy Nicolas was charged with forgery.

The men were transported to the Passaic County Jail in lieu of $10,000 each.

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