The Korea Herald

피터빈트

Woman arrested for producing fake bills for luxury shopping

By

Published : Aug. 9, 2011 - 16:19

    • Link copied

A woman was arrested for allegedly producing fake money in order to repay debts stemming from her lavish purchases of luxury handbags and cosmetics, police said Tuesday.

The 27-year-old woman, surnamed Lee, is suspected of printing out 1.7 million won (US$1,560) worth of counterfeit bills and checks and spending them in violation of the local currency counterfeit law, according to Gangnam Police Station.

Police said she produced the fake money using a color printer at her home in order to repay about 60 million won in debts owed to loan sharks. The debts were mostly taken out to purchase expensive handbags and makeup, they said.

She was first caught on suspicion of stealing 300,000 won and a credit card at a local beauty salon, and police later detected the counterfeiting accusations while quizzing her on the theft.

At the time of the arrest, Lee was facing lawsuits filed by her former boyfriends for using their credit cards to buy luxury goods worth 110 million won in total, investigators said.

Police were interrogating her on further charges against her when they found four unfinished fake 50,000-won bills and 24 100,000-won checks at her home.

(한글기사)

명품쇼핑 빚 갚으려고 5만원권ㆍ수표 위조

서울 강남경찰서는 쇼핑으로 진 빚을 갚기 위해 위조 지폐와 수표를 만들어 사용한 혐의(통화위조 및 행사죄)로 이모(27.여)씨를 구 속했다고 9일 밝혔다.

경찰에 따르면 이씨는 명품가방과 화장품 등을 구입하며 진 사채 6천만원을  갚 기 위해 컬러복합기를 이용해 5만원권 지폐 14장과 10만원권 자기앞수표 10장을  만 들어 사용한 혐의를 받고 있다.

절도 사건을 수사하던 경찰은 논현동의 한 피부미용실에서 현금 30만원과  신용 카드 등을 훔친 이씨를 검거, 조사하면서 화폐 위조 사실을 밝혀냈다.

이씨는 예전 남자친구들의 신용카드로 각각 3천만원과 8천만원어치를 쇼핑하는 데 써서 고소당한 상태였다고 경찰은 전했다.

경찰은 이씨의 집에서 아직 완성되지 않은 5만원권 지폐 4장과 10만원권 수표 2 4장을 발견, 여죄가 있을 것으로 보고 수사를 계속하고 있다.