Arizona Worker Replaces Nearly $400K Of Company Money With Counterfeit Cash

According to federal officials, a Home Depot employee in Tempe was arrested on Monday after passing almost $400,000 in counterfeit cash over four years.

AZ Family reported that Adrian Jean Pineda worked at the Home Depot location as a vault associate from 2018 to 2022. Court documents show that his responsibilities included preparing the cash from the store's registers, counting money, and sealing cash bags for deposit at Wells Fargo.

According to the United States Secret Service, the company lost $387,500 because of the counterfeit money.

U.S. Secret Service Phoenix Field Office Special Agent in Charge Frank Boudreaux Jr. said:

"[The] arrest and search warrant operation marked the culmination of a strategic investigation enacted by Phoenix special agents, Home Depot security personnel, and Wells Fargo Bank. I'm extremely proud of the hard work and dedication of all involved and thank our partners for their commitment and vigilance."

Agents recovered about $5,000 in counterfeit cash and $5,300 in real money while searching Pineda's house during the arrest.