Man jailed for 12 years in eBay scam that saw him and his wife live luxury lifestyle after stealing $1.5million from customers
A businessman has been jailed for 12 years after he was convicted of stealing $1.5 million from more than 250 customers in an eBay scam.
Darin French and his wife sold high-end home appliances on the Internet auction site and then kept the cash without sending out the products.
They used the money to finance a luxury lifestyle, buying a new $60,000 truck, a $50,000 Bayliner boat, a $5,000 stallion and tens of thousands of dollars worth of stocks and shares.
Prosecutors in Nevada said French, 40, and wife Jennifer, 38, set up an online business called Look What We Got and advertised kitchen appliances by Sub Zero, Viking and Wolf at low, discount prices.
But although they shipped the first few stoves and refrigerators, they failed to send merchandise out to about 250 clients after receiving their victims money.
They claimed they were authorised dealers, set up various eBay accounts and gave themselves fake positive feedback to make it appear they were trustworthy to potential buyers, according to prosecutors at Reno Federal District Court.
Customers believed they were buying the goods through eBay but they were purchasing it through the couples site.
When clients called to complain and asked about the whereabouts of their appliances, Jennifer French allegedly used a string of ruses, including claiming the delivery truck had broken down.
Prosecutors said many of the victims were remodelling their homes and had taken time off work to be there when the non-existent appliances were delivered.
French, of Incline Village, Nevada, was sentenced by Judge Larry Hicks after he was found guilty of 22 counts of mail fraud, 11 counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering.
His wife was found guilty of 14 counts of mail fraud, six of wire fraud and two of money laundering. She will be sentenced on July 11.
The crimes date back to 2003 and 2004.
'The defendants used money from the victims to purchase vehicles, a boat, investment securities and to live in grand style in Incline Village,' prosecutors wrote in court papers.
The credit card companies refunded the victims of around $1.2 million, while those who wrote checks lost their money, totalling $336,000.
A businessman has been jailed for 12 years after he was convicted of stealing $1.5 million from more than 250 customers in an eBay scam.
Darin French and his wife sold high-end home appliances on the Internet auction site and then kept the cash without sending out the products.
They used the money to finance a luxury lifestyle, buying a new $60,000 truck, a $50,000 Bayliner boat, a $5,000 stallion and tens of thousands of dollars worth of stocks and shares.
Prosecutors in Nevada said French, 40, and wife Jennifer, 38, set up an online business called Look What We Got and advertised kitchen appliances by Sub Zero, Viking and Wolf at low, discount prices.
But although they shipped the first few stoves and refrigerators, they failed to send merchandise out to about 250 clients after receiving their victims money.
They claimed they were authorised dealers, set up various eBay accounts and gave themselves fake positive feedback to make it appear they were trustworthy to potential buyers, according to prosecutors at Reno Federal District Court.
Customers believed they were buying the goods through eBay but they were purchasing it through the couples site.
When clients called to complain and asked about the whereabouts of their appliances, Jennifer French allegedly used a string of ruses, including claiming the delivery truck had broken down.
Prosecutors said many of the victims were remodelling their homes and had taken time off work to be there when the non-existent appliances were delivered.
French, of Incline Village, Nevada, was sentenced by Judge Larry Hicks after he was found guilty of 22 counts of mail fraud, 11 counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering.
His wife was found guilty of 14 counts of mail fraud, six of wire fraud and two of money laundering. She will be sentenced on July 11.
The crimes date back to 2003 and 2004.
'The defendants used money from the victims to purchase vehicles, a boat, investment securities and to live in grand style in Incline Village,' prosecutors wrote in court papers.
The credit card companies refunded the victims of around $1.2 million, while those who wrote checks lost their money, totalling $336,000.
