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One ebay clown busted

This isn't necessarily sports related, but with all the threads on fake autographs, fake patch cards, etc., I thought some might enjoy seeing this.

Link to the story

Man Pleads Guilty To Faking Autographs, Selling Books

A Reading man has admitted to forging the signatures of famous authors in copies of their books and then selling those books at inflated prices on eBay. Forrest Smith, III, of Reading pleaded guilty in federal court today to three counts of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud. Prosecutors say he received more than $300,000 from the sales of books by authors that included John Grisham, James Michener, and Truman Capote. They say Smith bought the unsigned books with an account registered in his name and re-sold them as "signed" with an account registered in his wife's name. Prosecutors say he carried out the scheme by obtaining documents containing authentic signatures of each author and using ink-based stamps made for the signatures to place them in the books. Smith faces a maximum sentence of 80 years in prison, a $1 million fine, and restitution when he's sentenced in September.
Buying US Presidential autographs

Comments

  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Good for him, he gets what he deserves.


    Steve
    Good for you.
  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,219 ✭✭
    Mike ... I LUV it when these SOBs are caught!

    Throw him in jail and let him get all the free sex he wants!!!!!
    STAY HEALTHY!

    Doug

    Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
  • jayhawkejayhawke Posts: 1,319 ✭✭✭
    That is great! Up to 80 years for the crime and the guys on the corner selling crack get 3-5 years or no time. The system needs work.
  • thenavarrothenavarro Posts: 7,497 ✭✭✭


    << <i>That is great! Up to 80 years for the crime and the guys on the corner selling crack get 3-5 years or no time. The system needs work. >>



    I think the key words are "up to". Doesn't mean that is what he will receive. I don't know the sentencing guidelines for the guys on the corner selling crack as they will vary by state, but I imagine in some states, they probably vary from probation to life in prison. This guy made the choice to commit federal crimes, I believe that federal crimes typically carry longer actual sentences. Personally, if he committed these acts, I hope he sees at least a prison term of 3 years.

    Mike
    Buying US Presidential autographs
  • GonblottGonblott Posts: 1,951 ✭✭
    I wonder if he got the items authenticated and then sold them on eBay......

    Glad this fraud was caught and I hope he rots in prison.
  • Yankees001Yankees001 Posts: 1,496
    That guy sucks.

    You must be dumb to actually try to sell fake autographs (at least knowling)

    I hope he has a good room MATE in prison.

    Dave
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭


    << <i>That is great! Up to 80 years for the crime and the guys on the corner selling crack get 3-5 years or no time. The system needs work. >>



    ///////////


    Yup.

    The "system" needs to fugedabout protecting folks from crack,
    and start protecting them from consumer fraudsters.

    The prison-industrial complex gets rich jailing dunce druggies,
    while scum that defrauds consumers - collectors - usually gets
    away with it.

    Autograph forgers - and pack resealers - should have their hands
    cut off on the first offense. That would stop the problem real fast.

    Prescribing "punsihmenmt that fits the crime," does NOT work; it
    has brought us to where we are now.





    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • MBMiller25MBMiller25 Posts: 6,057 ✭✭
    Something about EBAY sellers from PA.
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Something about EBAY sellers from PA. >>



    ////////////////////////


    PA is always near the top of the FBI list for victims/perpetrators
    of fraud-based crimes.

    I have no clue as to why.

    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • CDsNutsCDsNuts Posts: 10,092
    Let me get this straight- the fake signatures were made using a rubber stamp? Wow, amazing that he got caught. If you're going to sell fake autos at least take the time to learn how to forge the signatures. Why are thieves so lazy?
  • Now we need them to nail a certain thief from NC.
  • MintacularMintacular Posts: 1,138 ✭✭✭
    I think fraudsters deserve more jail time than crack addicts. Crackheads are being run by there addiction and the simple act of using/possession is less despicable than scammers who knowingly steal from others. JMO
  • jayhawkejayhawke Posts: 1,319 ✭✭✭
    I wonder how many consumer fraudster have driven a motor vehicle impaired from the fraud they committed and then killed someone? My guess is not as many as the crack users. The consumer fraud guy still needs to do some time.
  • halosfanhalosfan Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I think fraudsters deserve more jail time than crack addicts. Crackheads are being run by there addiction and the simple act of using/possession is less despicable than scammers who knowingly steal from others. JMO >>



    You remain clueless.
    Looking for a Glen Rice Inkredible and Alex Rodriguez cards
  • MintacularMintacular Posts: 1,138 ✭✭✭
    OKAY. You're right, some crack addict on the street who is mostly destroying themselves is a worse character than the rip-off artist who directly steals, scams, destroy the hobby, manipulates, lies, cheat, etc. from others is morally better???

    I said in my original post, the actual use of crack or whatever is a personal flaw/addiction that is not admirable but a scam artist that deliberately, secretively, and consciously steals from other people are lower on my totem pole than a crackhead who destroys themselves...
  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,931 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It's amazing that it has to be explained the difference between violent and non-violent crimes...the crackhead is robbing convenience stores and shooting the merchants if he deems necessary, breaking and entering homes and businesses, purse snatching, retail theft grab and run, and all other sorts of violent crimes. As repugnant as the autograph forger is, and he should be punished to the fullest extent of the law, I doubt if he is robbing anyone with a knife or gun who is trying to make a withdrawal at an ATM machine.
  • MintacularMintacular Posts: 1,138 ✭✭✭
    The lack of logic on this board amazes me sometimes. I said about 100 times (okay twice) I am NOT equating the related crimes a crack addict might commit to feed their addiction, but simply pointing out that a sin of weakness (i.e. a crack addict's consumption) is less pathetic than a sin of malice (i.e. a scammer who purposely cheats his customers with forethought...)
  • perkdogperkdog Posts: 31,557 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>The lack of logic on this board amazes me sometimes. I said about 100 times (okay twice) I am NOT equating the related crimes a crack addict might commit to feed their addiction, but simply pointing out that a sin of weakness (i.e. a crack addict's consumption) is less pathetic than a sin of malice (i.e. a scammer who purposely cheats his customers with forethought...) >>




    I get what your saying. I believe you mean there is a difference between malicious crimes vs non malicious crimes meaning that say a crack head simply gets caught with a bag he should not be punished as much as a person who forges sigs intentionally to deceive people and steal there money, this is true but for the most part drug addicts will steal from anyone to feed their addiction regardless if people get hurt or not so you cant really make the comparison.
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭


    << <i>It's amazing that it has to be explained the difference between violent and non-violent crimes...the crackhead is robbing convenience stores and shooting the merchants if he deems necessary, breaking and entering homes and businesses, purse snatching, retail theft grab and run, and all other sorts of violent crimes. As repugnant as the autograph forger is, and he should be punished to the fullest extent of the law, I doubt if he is robbing anyone with a knife or gun who is trying to make a withdrawal at an ATM machine. >>



    //////////////////////////////////////////////////////

    Stealing folks' money is, in natural law, a crime of violence
    if it has the potential to rob the victim of his life or livelihood.

    Horse thieves were hung for such "property crimes." And,
    rightfully so.

    Many of Madoff's victims lost their ability to fund their lives.
    That is hardly a mere non-violent crime.

    Card-fraudsters and auto-forgers have the capacity to destroy
    the livelihoods of many folks; both their direct victims and the
    folks whose biznez can be destroyed by fraud in the market.


    The dopesters turn to crime because they cannot buy their
    garbage at Walgreens.

    Less than 50-years from now, Americans will laugh at the concept
    of "dope cops" just like we now laugh at alcohol-prohibition cops.

    I am willing and able to defend myself and my property against dopers,
    but I really need the "system" to start concentrating on protecting my
    hobby/investment dollars from white-collar crooks.

    ...................

    Federal prisons were estimated to hold 179,204 sentenced inmates as of Sept. 30, 2007. Of these, 15,647 were incarcerated for violent offenses, including 2,915 for homicide,

    8,966 for robbery, and 3,939 for other violent crimes. In addition, 10,345 inmates were serving time for property crimes, including 504 for burglary, 7,834 for fraud, and 2,006 for

    other property offenses.

    A total of 95,446 were incarcerated for drug offenses.

    Also, 56,237 were incarcerated for public-order offenses, including 19,528 for immigration offenses and 24,435 for weapons offenses.

    .........

    The numbers in most state systems are JUST as ridiculous.


    According to the American Corrections Association, the average daily cost per state prison inmate per day in the US is $67.55.

    State prisons held 253,300 inmates for drug offenses in 2005.

    That means states spent approximately $17,110,415 per day to imprison drug offenders, or $6,245,301,475 per year.





    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<The lack of logic on this board amazes me sometimes.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>



    Stick around you have seen nothing yet.


    Steve
    Good for you.
  • pandrewspandrews Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭


    << <i>It's amazing that it has to be explained the difference between violent and non-violent crimes...the crackhead is robbing convenience stores and shooting the merchants if he deems necessary, breaking and entering homes and businesses, purse snatching, retail theft grab and run, and all other sorts of violent crimes. As repugnant as the autograph forger is, and he should be punished to the fullest extent of the law, I doubt if he is robbing anyone with a knife or gun who is trying to make a withdrawal at an ATM machine. >>



    those examples are all crimes on their own..
    ·p_A·
  • CDsNutsCDsNuts Posts: 10,092
    those examples are all crimes on their own..

    But the crack made them do it Perry. It MADE them.
  • wolfbearwolfbear Posts: 2,759 ✭✭✭

    I would like to object to the title of this thread ... image
    Pix of 'My Kids'

    "How about a little fire Scarecrow ?"
  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,931 ✭✭✭✭✭
    <<<tealing folks' money is, in natural law, a crime of violence
    if it has the potential to rob the victim of his life or livelihood.

    Horse thieves were hung for such "property crimes." And,
    rightfully so.

    Many of Madoff's victims lost their ability to fund their lives.
    That is hardly a mere non-violent crime.

    Card-fraudsters and auto-forgers have the capacity to destroy
    the livelihoods of many folks; both their direct victims and the
    folks whose biznez can be destroyed by fraud in the market.

    The dopesters turn to crime because they cannot buy their
    garbage at Walgreens.

    Less than 50-years from now, Americans will laugh at the concept
    of "dope cops" just like we now laugh at alcohol-prohibition cops.

    I am willing and able to defend myself and my property against dopers,
    but I really need the "system" to start concentrating on protecting my
    hobby/investment dollars from white-collar crooks. >>>

    Storm - I understand the premise behind your ideas here, and they are good comments, however I think most people would equate "violent crime" with an act in which bodily harm or death could occur to the victim from the criminal during the crime. I don't think anybody suffered bodily harm or death from Madoff in a sense that Madoff pulled a knife or gun on them, but if I could expound on what I think is your point, that if say a Madoff victim became despondent over losing their money and committed suicide, would that then be considered a violent crime? Well technically in my opinion still no, however the death still should be accounted for in the sentencing proceedings and I've got no problem at all with life sentences for criminal scumbags such as Madoff.
  • SidePocketSidePocket Posts: 2,901 ✭✭✭
    You do not have to use a gun or violence in any form to destroy someone's life and dreams - although the truly strong in faith can never be destroyed.

    The sociopathic notion that most criminals have is that you as a person do not matter. To use violence to that end generates no more remorse to that sociopath than the white collar criminal. Both types are destined for the same place in the end.



    "Molon Labe"

  • Child rapists get a fraction of the time that forgers do. Where's the justice?
  • MintacularMintacular Posts: 1,138 ✭✭✭
    Two wrongs don't make a right. The fact that sentences for child rapists are too lenient does not negate the rightful harsh punishment for fraudsters.

    Again, I look at motive in this case. A fraudster knowingly and deliberately steals from people where as the simple act of possession/use of crack or whatever is a weakness in character but less morally reprehensible in my book.
  • NickMNickM Posts: 4,895 ✭✭✭
    That's generally not true, christopher. But it makes the news when a child molester gets a light sentence, while it doesn't make news when a forger gets a light sentence.

    Nick
    image
    Reap the whirlwind.

    Need to buy something for the wife or girlfriend? Check out Vintage Designer Clothing.
  • earlycalguyearlycalguy Posts: 1,247 ✭✭
    now if they can lock up the folks at GAI for authenticating all the fake autos out there. their actions are equally as criminal
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