Man accused of sending empty boxes to buyers
A 28-year-old financial analyst from Pittsburgh is facing charges for fraud after he reportedly fleeced scores of buyers out of computer purchases on eBay. The man may have made tens of thousands of dollars through the process, during which he allegedly sold computers and then sent buyers the empty boxes. Authorities say the man could have netted more than $35,000 in connection with the alleged fraud, which continued from April through August of this year. Official reports show that the man’s customers were outraged, contacting him through the Internet to find out what happened during the alleged computer fraud. Interestingly, instead of taking the blame for the erroneous packages, the man is said to have shifted the blame to the U.S. Postal Service, which was accused of pilfering the computers after so-called random inspections. The defendant in this case is accused of plastering stickers on the packages indicating that they had been inspected by postal workers, which caused buyers to contact government authorities instead. Prosecutors in the case allege that the man’s driver’s license number and eBay company were both fraudulent. In addition, the man has been placed on leave from his position at the financial planning company after accusations surfaced that he used their computers for the illegal activity. The man is temporarily prohibited from selling any goods or services through the Web until further hearings are held in the case. The man has not entered a plea in this case. He has waived his right to a preliminary hearing. Even though it appears that this man may have defrauded scores of consumers, it is important to realize that no one in Pennsylvania is guilty when they enter a court of law. Instead, their guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt during the proceedings. This man deserves the fair due process that is provided to all criminal defendants in the state, no matter the nature of his crimes. Source: www.post-gazette.com, “Computer salesman charged with fraud” Rich Lord, Sep. 27, 2013
