Romanian nabbed for fake Euros
A transgender Romanian national was arrested over the weekend after the nearly 2,500 euro money she converted to Philippine peso in different money changing shops turned out to be fake.
Quezon City Police District director Guillermo Eleazar identified the foreign national as George Simion Mahai, a 28-year old geodetic engineer and currently residing at Pinecrest Condominium along Aurora Boulevard in Quezon City.
According to Masher Adjula, owner of Best Money Changer, the suspect first exchanged 700 euros for pesos last January 1 at his shop in Timog Avenue last January 1. He later found out that the euros were fake when he brought them to the bank.
Mahai managed to again exchange 1,100 euros at Best Money Changer’s Mandaluyong branch on January 22. The own-
ers then later found out about the fakery.
Unaware of the owners' suspicion, Mahai again went to the same money changer along Timog to exchange 650 euros early Saturday where he was recognized by the owner.
The owner then told Mahai to wait because he had to get more pesos. Adjula however went to the nearest police station then later on had the suspect arrested.
Authorities seized different denominations of counterfeit euros from the suspect and submitted them to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for certification.
Mahai told the police that she did not own the fake money and were only given by her by a British friend.
Kamuning Police Station chief Christian Dela Cruz said that Mahai also had a previous complaint on same incident in Pasay City last year.
The suspect was turned over to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) in Camp Karingal and will be charged with estafa or swindling and illegal possession and use of false bank notes.
Follow up investigation is underway to determine whether Mahai is connected with a syndicate.