Man admits to identity theft, making counterfeit currency
More money can indeed create more problems — especially when it’s fake.
Edmonton man James Richard White pleaded guilty Thursday to 29 charges related to making and then using counterfeit money at several businesses, as well as charges connected to an identity theft.
In the fall of 2016, White, 32, was arrested multiple times for trying to pass off counterfeit money everywhere from a Tim Hortons to a clothing shop to a 7-Eleven store. More than once, he fled businesses when employees became suspicious.
Around that time, Edmonton police were looking into a series of counterfeit money incidents at city businesses.
Investigators were able to identify White as the suspect in several security videos by the visible tattoo on his neck of his nickname “White Boy.”
During search warrants executed at White’s residence, where he lived with his girlfriend and coaccused Amy Alana Actmishuk, and another apartment connected to the pair, police seized assorted tools for manufacturing counterfeit bills, including printers, a paper cutter, ink, glossy paper, letter stamps and photocopies of various denominations. Many fake bills were found to have matching serial numbers. In some cases, investigators determined security features of five-dollar and 10-dollar bills had been cut and pasted onto $100 bills. Officers recovered counterfeit money in both Canadian and American currencies. A number of stolen identity documents were seized.
White also admitted Thursday to a January 2016 incident when he went into a city CIBC branch with a stolen driver’s licence and social security number and was able to convince staff he’d lost his bank card and was issued a new one. He made cash withdrawals and applied for new credit cards in the victim’s name.
Crown prosecutor John Schneider described White’s crimes as having been motivated by “greed” and argued for a sentence of two years for all 29 convictions.
White’s defence lawyer, Anwar Jarrah, told the court his client was struggling with addiction issues at the time of the offences and said that he is now receiving treatment. Jarrah argued for a 14-month jail sentence and 18 months of probation. With credit for time served, White would be released on probation immediately.
Jarrah told the court that his client has paid a deposit on a bed in a treatment program and that White has been invited to live with his sister.
Provincial court Judge D’Arcy DePoe reserved his decision on sentencing until Friday.