An eBay seller got 5 and a half years (66 months) for selling stolen goods over a 10-year period and for tax evasion, according to the US Department of Justice.
The DOJ said according to his guilty plea and other court documents, the defendant purchased over $3.5 million of stolen goods from 2009 through 2019 from individuals with “insider” access to the goods and merchandise who stole the items without detection:
The Public School Employee (Age 46)
The defendant purchased $1 million in Apple products from a New Mexico public school employee responsible for overseeing a program to provide the devices to underprivileged Native American school children, paying her over $800,000 through PayPal.
The FedEx Employee (Age 45)
The defendant purchased large quantities of goods from a former FedEx employee who obtained most of the items from bulk purchases shipped via FedEx, including a shipment destined for a Walmart Distribution Center in Smyrna, Delaware. The defendant typically paid 50% of the retail price for the stolen goods and merchandise and sold them on eBay. In total, the defendant paid $1.5 million for the stolen goods that he resold for $3 million.
The College Friend (Age 36)
The defendant enlisted a college friend to allow him to sell stolen goods through the friend’s eBay accounts in exchange for a commission (over $10,000 per year).
The three coconspirators have pleaded guilty to their roles in the fraud scheme and are awaiting sentencing, according to the government.
He paid 50% of retail for the products? He was ripping himself off on his own scheme