A Lethbridge woman pleading guilty Friday (Aug. 2) to a charge of fraud under $5,000, in connection to passing counterfeit money at several local businesses.

According to an agreed statement of facts read aloud in court, Kristina Zinger, 36, used counterfeit $10, $20 and $50 US bills to make purchases at a convenience store, restaurant and grocery store between January and February last year.

Lethbridge Police searched her home in March, where they found clippings of US currency, printer cartridges and paper. Some of the bills had serial numbers matching the ones Zinger used to make purchases.

A roommate also told officers that Zinger would make the money in her bedroom.

Zinger’s lawyer has adjourned sentencing to Oct. 30 in order for a pre-sentence report to be completed. The defence says it should assist the court in understanding his client’s background, since she was using drugs at the time of the offence and is now in addiction recovery.