One ebay clown busted
thenavarro
Posts: 7,497 ✭✭✭
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.
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
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Comments
Steve
Throw him in jail and let him get all the free sex he wants!!!!!
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.
<< <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
Glad this fraud was caught and I hope he rots in prison.
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
<< <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. >>
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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.
<< <i>Something about EBAY sellers from PA. >>
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PA is always near the top of the FBI list for victims/perpetrators
of fraud-based crimes.
I have no clue as to why.
<< <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.
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...
<< <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.
<< <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. >>
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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.
Stick around you have seen nothing yet.
Steve
<< <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..
But the crack made them do it Perry. It MADE them.
I would like to object to the title of this thread ...
"How about a little fire Scarecrow ?"
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.
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"
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.
Nick
Reap the whirlwind.
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