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RCMP investigation leads to arrest warrants for individuals involved in counterfeit money passing ring

Nov. 10, 2022, Milton, Ont. – A number of Canadian counterfeit $100 bills have been identified and seized, following an investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). As a result of the investigation, known as Project OCedarwood, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Trans-National Serious & Organized Crime Section (TSOC) charged three individuals.

In June of 2022, the RCMP GTA-TSOC received information from the Loss Prevention Department at Home Depot that a group of individuals attended various retailers and purchased goods with the use of suspected counterfeit $100 bills. Upon further investigation, the RCMP determined that this organized group targeted large box store retailers to pass the counterfeit bills. The accused purchased store merchandise with counterfeit bills. Subsequently, the accused would return the merchandise at a separate retail location to obtain a full refund on the initial purchase.

The RCMP investigation established that the counterfeit $100 bills were passed throughout the GTA and other areas of Ontario, along the Highway 401 corridor between Belleville and London, and North to Barrie and South to Hamilton. The seized counterfeit $100 bills were created to simulate a genuine $100 bill. Although the counterfeit $100 bills were quite sophisticated in an attempt to replicate current bank note security features, these counterfeit bills can be distinguished from a genuine due to various print defects.

The RCMP would like especially thank their policing partners from DRPS, PRPS, OPP, HRPS, WRPS, and Belleville PS for their assistance in this investigation.