From the Big Screen to the Checkout Line: Fake Movie Money Leads to Forgery Charge
- John Eads
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
TROY, Mo. — Two trips through the checkout line at the Troy Walmart have resulted in felony forgery charges against Jennifer Faye Helderman after seven counterfeit $20 bills were used to purchase merchandise in July 2025.
The bills weren’t sophisticated counterfeits hiding their origin. Each was marked for motion picture purposes.
Helderman is now in custody on two Class D felony forgery charges.
Jennifer Faye Helderman — Troy, Missouri
Charges:
Forgery — Class D felony
Forgery — Class D felony
The first transaction occurred shortly before 11 p.m. July 26, 2025, at Walmart, 101 Highway 47 in Troy.
Helderman purchased several items and paid with a counterfeit $20 bill. The cashier accepted the bill and returned 73 cents in change.
The following evening, Helderman returned to Walmart and made a second purchase through a different cashier. This time, six counterfeit $20 bills — $120 in total — were used.
Helderman received $13.61 in change.
All seven bills were marked for motion picture purposes in the upper-right corner.
Walmart loss prevention reviewed surveillance from the two transactions and provided four videos to Troy Police. The footage captured the purchases and Helderman leaving the store.
Two Troy Police officers familiar with Helderman from previous encounters identified her in the surveillance footage.
The investigation continued Sept. 14, 2025, when Troy Police searched Helderman’s residence on Court Street.
Several items matching merchandise purchased during the Walmart transactions were located and photographed inside the home. The items could not be confirmed as the exact merchandise purchased with the counterfeit bills.
A bluish-green notebook and a 24-pack of Dr. Thunder were also photographed during the search.
Police later made several unsuccessful attempts to locate Helderman for an interview before entering her into MULES as a person of interest.
The July 26 and July 27 transactions each resulted in a separate forgery charge.
Both are Class D felonies.
The case remained pending into 2026. After Helderman failed to appear, Judge Michael R. Jacobs issued a warrant Aug. 4 and set bond at $5,000 cash only.
Helderman has since been taken into custody.
No future court date is currently scheduled in Lincoln County Circuit Court.
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Primary Sources
Probable cause statement
Failure-to-appear warrant
Missouri Case.net
Lincoln County Circuit Court records
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