Police: Pair among 5 charged in counterfeit $100 bill scheme spanning Bucks County
Two Philadelphia defendants are facing felony charges after police said they were part of a five-person scheme to pass counterfeit $100 bills at businesses across central Bucks County, according to charging documents.
Nelson Carreto-Arellanos, 19, of the 700 block of South Alden Street, and Jasir Jackson-Hayes, 19, of the 6500 block of Guyer Ave., were each charged with forgery and related offenses following a multi-jurisdiction investigation by Buckingham Township Police and partnering departments, according to the criminal complaints.
Police allege the incidents occurred on Feb. 25, 2026, in Hilltown Township, Dublin Borough and Buckingham Township, where officers responded to reports of counterfeit $100 bills being used to purchase food.
Investigators later determined the same fake bill — bearing an identical serial number — had been passed at multiple locations, including Dominick’s Pizza in Hilltown, Luberto’s Pizzeria and Taramina’s Pizza in Dublin, and Cross Culture Indian Restaurant in Buckingham Township, according to the complaint.
According to the affidavits, the scheme typically involved small purchases — often under $20 — with suspects receiving legitimate cash in change. At Luberto’s in Dublin, one transaction yielded about $80 in change, while another at Taramina’s netted roughly $88, police said.
Investigators said surveillance video and witness statements helped identify multiple individuals allegedly working together. Carreto-Arellanos was accused of passing a counterfeit bill at Luberto’s, while Jackson-Hayes was identified as the person who handed over a fake $100 bill at Taramina’s, according to the complaints.
Police said the group was later located near Route 202 in Buckingham Township after officers responded to another report of a counterfeit bill in progress at Cross Culture. Officers encountered several suspects running from the area and later found a crumpled counterfeit $100 bill matching the same serial number used in prior incidents.
Authorities also identified additional alleged co-defendants tied to the scheme, including Tyshan Tyree Franklin, 25, of Philadelphia; Mickael Quorian Abdullah Reese, 20, of Philadelphia; and a juvenile identified in court documents.
Police said the five individuals “knowingly and willingly engaged in a scheme to pass multiple counterfeit $100 bills to receive real money in return for profit,” according to the affidavits.
Carreto-Arellanos was additionally charged with tampering with evidence after police allege he attempted to conceal a counterfeit bill while being detained.
Both defendants were charged with felony forgery and conspiracy to commit forgery.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records and information provided by the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office
Tony Di Domizio is the managing editor of CentralBucksNow. Email him at [email protected].
