By TopTrendReportTv

February 11, 2025

Chicago Man Sentenced to Over Seven Years for Counterfeiting and Exploiting Runaways

CHICAGO — A 28-year-old man has been sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison for manufacturing counterfeit $100 bills and recruiting young women and girls, including runaways, to pass the fake money for his financial gain. This marks the fifth time since 2016 that Marquise Shores has been convicted of counterfeiting currency or checks.

Federal prosecutors revealed that Shores used a method to bleach $1 bills and reprint them as counterfeit $100 bills. His latest scheme ended on November 12, 2019, when Chicago police arrested Shores and a 16-year-old runaway from Indianapolis after spotting them leaving Shores’ home and entering a stolen car. The girl, who was reported missing, turned over counterfeit bills she said Shores had given her.

A search of Shores’ residence uncovered evidence of his counterfeiting operation, including three printers, 35 ink cartridges, a genuine $100 bill, seven bleached $1 bills, and 36 counterfeit $100 bills with matching serial numbers.

Using Facebook Messenger, Shores recruited young women and girls to pass the counterfeit money in stores. He would remain outside while the women made purchases, pocketing the genuine change they received and any real cash obtained when the purchased items were returned.

Prosecutors said Shores created $92,000 in counterfeit currency, defrauding over 100 businesses out of at least $84,000. At the time of the scheme, Shores was on parole for five convictions in Cook County and probation for another in Minnesota.

In a defense memo, Shores’ attorney described him as a “loving father” and “devoted son” who had faced challenges such as ADHD and high lead levels in childhood. The lawyer noted that Shores earned a high school diploma and completed a heating and air conditioning certification program while on bail in this case.

Despite these arguments, prosecutors highlighted the seriousness of Shores’ actions, which they said were carried out “week-in and week-out,” often involving vulnerable individuals.

Shores’ sentence reflects his extensive criminal history and the scope of his counterfeiting operation.