Man testifies in own counterfeit trial

PITTSBURGH, March 12 (UPI) -- The Pittsburgh trial of a college student accused of counterfeiting revealed a string of comedic glitches, the Post-Gazette reported Friday.

John Woodyear, 19, is on trial in federal court on charges of making and selling counterfeit money, allegedly part of a three-person crime ring.

One of the suspects accidently torched $400 worth of fake $20 bills in his microwave oven trying to improve their texture, it was testified Thursday.

Not only that, but counterfeit bills obtained in one of the men's residence all had the same serial number.

Finally, when two of the men got caught, they promptly blamed Woodyear.

Those two have entered federal pre-trial diversion, a program for minor offenders that will allow their records to be expunged after a year if they cooperate.

Woodyear, an aerospace engineering student at Penn State University, has admitted to printing the counterfeit bills.