Hundreds in counterfeit cash was spent on family’s behalf, defendant tells judge

A 25-year-old man told a federal judge in Honolulu Tuesday that he was trying to help his family when he used counterfeit money at a Waikiki discount store where he worked as a security guard.

Remmington Francis told Magistrate Judge Richard Puglisi that he received the counterfeit money from co-defendant Nathan Niihau as part of a scheme to turn counterfeit money into real cash.

Francis said he used fake $100 bills to purchase merchandise at Ross Dress for Less in Waikiki and intended to return it for genuine currency.

"It was just to help out my family," Francis told Puglisi.

Francis faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced Dec. 8.

Niihau, who pleaded guilty in July, will be sentenced the same day.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence Tong said both men worked as security officers at the Ross in Waikiki at the time of the scheme in November 2013. Nine bogus $100 bills were passed at the store — all with the same serial number, Tong said.

Tong said the men had agreed to divide any income obtained through the conspiracy.

According to court documents, Niihau used concrete cleaner to erase the print off authentic $1 bills and printed $100 bill images onto the bona fide paper.

In his plea agreement, Niihau admitted making $2,000 of the fake cash.

Francis told Judge Puglisi that he bought a Movado watch with six fake $100 bills on Nov. 21.

The same day, he went to Ross on Keeaumoku Street to return the watch, he said, but was told he would have to wait until the next day because of the size of the purchase.

Francis said he didn’t go back to the Keeaumoku Street store the next day, but went to work. Tong said Francis was arrested at the Waikiki store.

Francis and Niihau are both out on $25,000 bail.