Ex-MLB reliever Mateo arrested with fake bills

HE WAS IN TOWN TO FACE THE ISOTOPES- BUT A MINOR LEAGUE PITCHER FROM FRESNO IS NOW FACING THE SECRET SERVICE ALL FOR ALLEGEDLY PASSING AROUND FUNNY MONEY GADI SCHWARTZ IS LIVE OUTSIDE THE HOTEL WHERE IT ALL WENT DOWN THIS IS WHERE FORMER SEATTLE MARINER JULIO MATEO WAS DROPPED OFF BY A CAB DRIVER THE DRIVER SAYS MATEO PAID HIM WITH A FAKE HUNDRED- NOW SECRET SERVICE AGENTS TELL US MATEO IS PART OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO COUNTERFEIT BILLS 7 19 76 is code 8 at the MCM elegante for a personal at the MCM elegante 1 25 picked these guys up at the casino jumped in the cab asked them their name to see if i had right fair LITTLE DID THIS CABBIE KNOW HIS PASSENGER WAS JULIO MATEO — WHO SPENT 5 YEARS WITH THE SEATTLE MARINERS BEFORE PITCHING FOR THE FRESNO GRIZZLIES 1 48 around 5 o clock i dropped them off at the MCM and thats when i told him his fair was 26 dollars and 80 cents- and he handed me a hundred dollar bill LITTLE DID HE KNOW THAT BILL WAS FAKE 8 36 and it had a water mark and a hologram and it looked legit it really did BUT WHEN HE TRIED TO PAY THE LEASE ON HIS CAB THE HUNDRED CAME BACK AS A COUNTERFEIT- 9 43 i was frustrated and i wasn t going to let them slide by THE CABBIE CALLED THE COPS- WHO CALLED THE SECRET SERVICE- AND SOON AFTER MATEO WAS IN HANDCUFFS- AND NOT FOR THE FIRST TIME- THIS IS HIM BEING ESCORTED BY POLICE AFTER HITTING HIS WIFE IN NEW YORK LAST YEAR ALBUQUERQUE POLICE SAY BEFORE THEY EVEN QUESTIONED MATEO — HE WAS ALREADY TALKING ABOUT FAKE CASH 10 14 they brought him out to the hallway did not say a word and julio mateo said i didnt know anything about the counterfeit money or the fake money so you cant get any better that POLICE FOUND TWO STACKS OF HUNDREDS IN MATEO S ROOM THE CABBIE SAYS — IF HE WOULD VE KNOWN THAT — HE D HAVE EXPECTED A BETTER TIP 10 56 i just at least wanted my 70 dollars back and when he tipped me 3 dollars on that its kinda cheap you know what i mean AFTER MATEO WAS ARRESTED BY A-P-D THE CASE WAS DROPPED- A JUDGE RULED POLICE FILED THE WRONG CHARGES FORGERY WHEN IT S ACTUALLY A COUNTERFEIT CASE A-P-D SAYS THEY DO NOT PLAN TO FILE ANY NEW CHARGES BECAUSE THE SECRET SERVICE IS ALREADY CONDUCTING ITS OWN INVESTIGATION NEW MEXICO S