SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) — A man is being held without bail in Massachusetts, accused of stealing $50,000 from the owners of a Springfield pizza business through a “black money” scam.

Federal prosecutors say Cole Williams and another suspect told the owners of Village Pizza, in Indian Orchard, that they wanted to buy their shop using smuggled money. They convinced the victims to give them $50,000 to buy chemicals to wash bank note-sized paper they claimed to be real currency dyed black to avoid detection by customs officials.

Charges against Williams include conspiracy and possession of altered U.S. currency with intent to defraud.