Father-daughter team charged with passing fake $20s
TAMPA -- The Margarita Mama's bartender knew there was something wrong with the $20 bill the woman handed her. And by 10:20 p.m., her 21-year-old customer, Lisa J. Work, was in police custody. So was her father.
The bartender said she had been conned before: A few months ago, a promising $60 that landed in her tip jar turned out to be counterfeit.
So this time, she took no chances. She walked back to her manager. He held the bill to the light. There was no security thread. No water mark. No hologram.
Sky Beard, the 25-year-old manager, called Channelside security, who in turn called Tampa police.
Officers found 93 counterfeit $20 bills in Timothy Paul Work's possession.
Timothy Work, 49, of Davie, (left) was being held in lieu of $9,107 bail and is charged with forging bank bills, possession of 10 or more counterfeit bills, uttering a forged bill and giving a false name to a law enforcement officer. He was also arrested on two outstanding warrants out of Gilchrist County, for reckless driving and driving with a suspended or revoked license.
Lisa Work (right), meanwhile, is being held on $1,000 bail, charged with uttering a forged instrument and organized fraud of less than $20,000.
Beard said employees at Margarita Mama's try to make a habit of checking bills. This time, he said, it felt good to help catch someone in the act.
"I've been bragging," Beard said. "We're junior detectives over here."
Rebecca Catalanello, Times staff writer
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Awesome ! love it when low life's get caught. Wonder if they will try to bail out using same money...lol
Posted by: ohmygoditsthatguy | Monday, January 05, 2009 at 03:24 PM
ohmygoditsthatguy, you're a retard.
Posted by: Rob | Monday, January 05, 2009 at 03:57 PM
Rob..., you don't have to insult retards. But, you are so right about ommygoditsthatguy... He thinks he is a comedian, but he's just stupid. NOTHING he has posted has been funny. Maybe we should give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he's drunk.
Posted by: Me | Monday, January 05, 2009 at 06:44 PM
money money money money
Posted by: flanygal | Monday, January 05, 2009 at 07:51 PM
Go to jail and don't collect $200!
Posted by: CLB | Monday, January 05, 2009 at 08:22 PM
Our whole system is a fraud, especially the our monetary system.
Posted by: Chris Cantwell | Monday, January 05, 2009 at 08:25 PM