Wilmington brothers busted in multi-state counterfeit ring

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A multi-state counterfeiting ring was shut down earlier this week when Wilmington Police arrested two men accused of printing fake money.

“We’ve got more than 50 different incidents involving these serial numbered bills up and down the east coast specifically between Florida and North Carolina,” Cpl. Brandon Reece said.

Shawn Buzbee, 46, and Sabe Buzbee, 37, of Wilmington were arrested Monday.

Officers responded to the Speedway Convenience Store on Carolina Beach Road where the two men attempted to pay for their gas with a counterfeit $100 bill. After speaking with Buzbees, officers say they found more fake bills in their car.

“The patrol officers stopping this vehicle, we’re able to verify these serial numbers were counterfeit right off the bat and I was able to track down that they had started in the Tampa and Jacksonville, Florida area, so you could see where they were passed up the coast to this area,” Secret Service Resident Agent Brandon Bridgeforth said.

Detectives then got a search warrant for Buzbee’s home, where a news release states they discovered a counterfeiting operation, including printers, ink removal agents, drying implements, cutting boards, paper cutters and more.

“From our investigation, what they were taking was 1 dollar bills washing the ink off the one dollar bills and then printing one hundreds on top of that,” Bridgeforth said.

WPD says the pattern note recovered at the home shares a serial number identified by the US Secret Service in approximately 28 fake $100 bill used between Florida and North Carolina. Three of the counterfeit notes also connect to more than 50 incidents from Florida to North Carolina, police say. WPD says this case came down to quick thinking by the arresting police officers.

“It’s exciting. And the fact of it is, it’s good police work that got us to this point. It’s patrol officers, veteran police officers, who relied on their training and experience to get us into that vehicle, get that currency, and then notify the right people to handle the investigation,” Reece said.

The release states investigators also found roughly 188 grams of marijuana, Xanax bars, crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia and $441.

WPD says Shawn Buzbee has a known history of counterfeiting.

Both are charged with attempting to obtain property by false pretense, utter forged endorsement, forgery of instrument, possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver schedule VI controlled substance, maintain vehicle/dwelling controlled substance, possession of schedule IV controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Shawn Buzbee received a $100,000 secured bond. Sabe Buzbee received a $40,000 secured bond.

WPD and the Secret Service would not comment as to whether the scheme was part of a bigger operation.