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Covington, Georgia – A routine shopping trip devolved into a bizarre criminal farce in March 2004 when a woman attempted to use a clearly phony $1 million bill to purchase groceries and household goods at a local Wal-Mart.

The individual, identified as Alice Regina Pike, 35, tried to complete a transaction for $1,675 worth of merchandise at the register. The cashier was stunned when Pike presented a massive bill featuring a picture of the Statue of Liberty—a clear indicator that the currency was not official tender.

The Audacity of the Request

The situation escalated from a simple mistake to an alleged crime when Pike, seemingly serious, insisted on receiving the proper change. She allegedly asked the cashier to break the million-dollar bill and hand her $998,325 back.

Covington Police Chief Stacey Cotton noted at the time that while the bill “looks real,” there is “nothing real about this,” confirming that the U.S. Treasury does not and has never produced a $1 million bill for circulation. The highest denomination ever printed for public use was $10,000, which was discontinued decades ago. Such million-dollar notes are typically sold in souvenir shops.

Arrest and Further Discovery

The Wal-Mart clerk immediately recognized the bill as fake and alerted management, who then called the police. Before her arrest, Pike reportedly tried to use two low-value gift cards to complete the purchase, but upon that failure, she pressed the issue with the million-dollar note again.

Pike was subsequently arrested and charged with forgery. Following her detention, police made a further discovery: they located two additional fake $1 million bills inside her purse.

“People do crazy things all the time,” Chief Cotton commented on the incident, calling it “just another example of some odd things that occur.” The case quickly became an international curiosity, showcasing a highly unusual attempt to pass off novelty currency as genuine legal tender in a major retail store.