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Dec 12, 2006 2:35 pm US/Central
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21 Charged In International eBay Fraud Scheme
Authorities: Money Was Collected In Chicago From Auction Sites, Diverted To Romania
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Twenty-one people are facing fraud charges in an alleged international scheme to con people into buying items on the Internet that they never got.
The defendants in the case, led by Adrian Florin Fechete, 35, of Chicago, are accused of obtaining more than $5 million from victims led to believe they were buying goods on eBay or other auction sites, but never giving the victims anything, federal authorities said.
There were 2,000 victims involved, from across the United States and abroad, but the money was collected mostly in the Chicago area, authorities said. The scam was based in Romania.
Eight of the 21 defendants were arrested early Tuesday in the Chicago area, while five more were arrested earlier, one will surrender later, and six more are fugitives, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said.
The fraud scheme was perpetrated between November 2003 and August 2006, authoritie said. Victims who did not win the bid on items were led to believe they were getting a second chance to buy them, and were asked to send money by Western Union to the seller's agent, usually located in the Chicago area, authorities said.
The money received was usually sent outside the country to people living outside the United States, mostly in Romania, authorities said.
The alleged scammers used false identification documents, and many such documents were found in a March 2006 search of one of the defendants, Adrian Florin Fechete, 35, of Chicago, authorities said.
Each defendant is charged with one count of wire fraud.
"This case is an example of using new technology to commit an old-fashioned fraud scheme. There is no refuge in cyberspace for those who use the Internet to cloak and facilitate criminal activity as law enforcement is becoming ever more adept at investigating cyber-crime," Fitzgerald announced.
The defendants' initial court appearance was Tuesday.
Anyone who believes they may have been a victim may e-mail inquiries to usailn.victim.witness@usdoj.gov. Include your name, address, phone number, 10-digit Western Union Money Transfer Control Number, amount transmitted, date funds were provided and the name of the individual to whom the funds were sent. Victims may also call a toll-free hotline number for updates about the case – (866) 364-2621.
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