Montana Man's Daring $390,000 Heist Using Fake Cash!

A Montana credit union worker swapped real cash with movie prop bills, turning a vault into a scene straight out of a Hollywood crime flick. 🌐 #News #MissoulaMT #Montana #Crime

MISSOULA, MT – What started as routine vault management at a Montana credit union spiraled into a bizarre heist involving fake cash meant for film sets. A trusted employee is now facing serious prison time after authorities unraveled his scheme of replacing real money with movie prop bills.

Edward Arthur Nurse, 35, pleaded guilty on Friday to stealing $390,000 from Park Side Credit Union in Missoula, Montana. His primary responsibility at the credit union involved balancing and managing the vault, which he used as an opportunity to pull off the elaborate theft between July 2023 and June 2024.

Fake Money Discovered in the Vault

The scheme came to light in June 2024, when a fellow employee discovered $340,000 in fake currency inside the vault. The counterfeit cash came from a company that manufactures prop money for movies, and all signs pointed to Nurse, given his exclusive access to the vault.

Suspicious Bank Activity and Casino Spending

A deeper investigation into Nurse’s finances revealed cash deposits totaling $117,751 made into his personal account over seven months. Each deposit was suspiciously large, exceeding $10,000—a pattern that raised red flags. Between March and May 2024, Nurse also spent over $56,000 in cash at a local casino, though his winnings totaled only $8,000.

When confronted by investigators, Nurse downplayed his use of cash. He claimed he hadn’t made any recent significant purchases, aside from a vacation to Las Vegas.

$410,000 in Prop Currency Bought and Traced

However, investigators uncovered records showing Nurse had purchased $410,000 worth of prop money during the first half of 2024. The fake bills were delivered to a post office box registered under his name.

In July, the Federal Reserve notified the credit union after receiving $50,000 in counterfeit bills—identical to those found in the vault. The phony cash was promptly returned to Park Side Credit Union and confirmed to be from the same prop money supplier.

Facing Harsh Penalties

Nurse now faces up to 30 years in prison and five years of supervised release, along with a potential $1 million fine. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 25, 2025.

This strange tale of greed and deception shows that even the most outlandish plans can unravel—and that trust, once broken, carries steep consequences.