GREAT NECK, NY – The Nassau County Police Department’s Electronics Squad, Fraud and Forgery Section reports the arrest of a Manhattan man in connection with a counterfeit currency incident that occurred in Great Neck Plaza.
The incident took place on Friday, November 21, 2025, at approximately 3:40 p.m., when a 25-year-old male victim arranged to meet a buyer through Facebook Marketplace to sell a cellular phone. According to detectives, the victim received $950 in what he believed to be U.S. currency in exchange for the phone.
When the victim later attempted to deposit the money at a bank, he was informed that the bills were counterfeit. The incident was reported to police, and a subsequent investigation was conducted by detectives assigned to the Fraud and Forgery Section.
Following the investigation, detectives arrested Luis Cruz Homs, 28, of East 115th Street, Manhattan, in connection with the incident.
Cruz Homs is charged with:
- Seventeen counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the First Degree
- Petit Larceny
He was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at First District Court, located at 99 Main Street, Hempstead. The investigation remains ongoing.
Key Facts and Details
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Incident Type | Counterfeit currency / fraud |
| Incident Date | November 21, 2025 |
| Incident Time | Approximately 3:40 p.m. |
| Location | Great Neck Plaza, Nassau County |
| Platform Used | Facebook Marketplace |
| Victim | 25-year-old male |
| Property Involved | Cellular phone |
| Amount Exchanged | $950 in counterfeit U.S. currency |
| How Fraud Was Discovered | Counterfeit bills identified during bank deposit attempt |
| Investigating Unit | Nassau County Police Department – Electronics Squad, Fraud and Forgery Section |
| Defendant | Luis Cruz Homs |
| Defendant Age | 28 |
| Defendant Residence | 218 East 115th Street, Manhattan |
| Top Charges | Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument 1st Degree (17 counts) |
| Additional Charge | Petit Larceny |
| Arrest Outcome | Arrested following investigation |
| Arraignment Court | First District Court |
| Arraignment Location | 99 Main Street, Hempstead, NY |
| Arraignment Date | January 14, 2026 |
| Case Status | Pending further court proceedings |
