The U.S. Secret Service is investigating a recent rash of gamblers who spent last summer trying to swindle area casinos by betting with funny money. Targets included the Valley Forge Casino Resort in King of Prussia, reports Ed Silverstein for Casino.org.

Three counterfeit $100 bills showed up in Valley Forge in June.

Deepening the Montgomery County connections to this crime was the passage of a phony Franklin by a resident of Red Hill, near Green Lane, on July 7.

In each incident, the counterfeit money was sent to the U.S. Secret Service for analysis and investigation.

Regionally, the criminal activity has popped up repeatedly since 2019.

Four Philadelphia residents were charged with passing $16,000 in faux currency in Pa. and N.J., including $2,000 at Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack in Chester. Additional incidents have been reported at Rivers Casino Philadelphia, Hard Rock Cafe Casino Atlantic City, and Wind Creek Bethlehem.

Associated charges for the crime can include forgery, theft by deception, possessing instruments of crime, and conspiracy.

Successful prosecution almost universally ends with prison time.

More on the U.S. Secret Service and counterfeit casino bets is at Casino.org.

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This video from Wired explains the techniques the U.S. Secret Service uses to identify counterfeit bills.