Poker Room uncovers fake $100 bill

Would you know the difference if you were handed a counterfeit bill?

A patron at The Poker Room on Racetrack Road in northwest St. Johns County will be more careful in the future.

Last night at about 11:00, Deputy Steven Lay responded to a call from the Security Supervisor at the Poker Room reporting that a patron was suspected of attempting to pass a fake $100.00 bill to a dealer on one of the casino’s poker tables.

Using a currency pen, the supervisor determined that the bill tested counterfeit.

The customer told Deputy Lay that he won $700 at one of the poker tables. He said the table was closed and that he moved to another table. The new table only allowed a maximum of $100 in chips at the table, so he went to the cashier and cashed in his chips.

The customer stated that the cashier gave him five $100 bills, two $50 bills and he kept $100 worth of the chips that he already had — then he joined a new game at a new table.

After the customer lost all his chips, he “bought in” with the bills; using the one that turned out to be counterfeit first. The customer stated that the dealer scrutinized it, but accepted the bill. He stated that he was not concerned because it came from the cashier.

A review of the surveillance video by Poker Room personnel appeared to corroborate the customer’s story and he was not detained further.