Two Mississippi men, Robert Lewis Elliott III and Devin Alonzo Elliott, appeared in federal court after being charged with using counterfeit U.S. currency to purchase luxury watches and jewelry from a Pineville, North Carolina retail store. The indictment was filed in August 2025 and unsealed following their court appearance.
According to the indictment, the alleged scheme took place in June 2025. The two men, along with another individual, entered the jewelry store on June 26 and expressed interest in buying approximately $300,000 worth of high-end items. They provided a $1,000 cash deposit and agreed to return the next day.
On June 27, the defendants allegedly returned to finalize the transaction. The indictment states that Robert Elliott presented a stack of genuine $100 bills totaling $10,000 for counting by a store employee. After verification with an electronic counter and counterfeit detection pen, Elliott is accused of using sleight-of-hand to swap the real bills for counterfeit notes before placing them into the store’s safe. This process was reportedly repeated until all counterfeit currency had been deposited.
After the money was counted, when asked for identification to complete the sale, Robert Elliott claimed he needed to retrieve more cash and his ID from his car. The defendants then left the store with several items including a Patek Phillipe diamond watch valued at $90,000; an Audemars Piguet watch ($48,000); a Cartier watch ($25,000); four Rolex watches ($76,300); a rose Cuban link chain ($32,000); a gold bracelet ($17,500); a bangle bracelet ($8,200); diamond earrings ($1,000); and 24k pointer earrings ($2,000).
Both men were released on bond pending further proceedings. If convicted on all charges—conspiracy to pass counterfeit obligations and passing counterfeit obligations—they could face up to five years and twenty years in prison respectively. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“The charges against the defendants are merely allegations and they are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” according to the announcement.
U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson acknowledged assistance from both the U.S. Secret Service and Pineville Police Department during the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley is prosecuting the case.
