A UF student was arrested and banned from campus Sunday after police say he used counterfeit money at a campus restaurant.
Maxime Sparfel, UF industrial and systems engineering junior, used a counterfeit $10 bill to pay for his meal at Moe’s Southwest Grill at the Student Recreation and Fitness Center, according to a University Police Department report.
After receiving his change, he asked the cashier for two $5 bills in exchange for another $10 bill.
According to the supervisor on duty at the time, the cashier sensed something was wrong because Sparfel was visibly nervous.
She marked the bills with a counterfeit detection pen and showed them to her supervisor, who then called UPD.
Police found 15 additional $10 bills in Sparfel’s pockets and backpack, according to the report.
All the bills had the same serial number and failed the counterfeit bill pen test, according to the report.
Sparfel, a French citizen, was arrested and charged with one count of possession of 10 or more forged bills and two counts of passing a counterfeit bill, all third-degree felonies.
UPD has consulted the United States Secret Service, which handles counterfeiting cases, for assistance.
Sparfel was released from the Alachua County Jail Monday afternoon.
