A federal district court has shut down two defendants who used stolen identities to sell nonexistent goods in online auctions, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
James D. Thompson and Susan B. Germek have also been barred from participating in Internet auctions, making false claims about having and being able to deliver merchandise and misusing consumers’ personal information, the FTC reported.
Both were also indicted for mail fraud by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Illinois. Germek pled guilty on one count of mail fraud and is awaiting sentencing. No trial date has been set for Thompson.
Since early 1999, Germek and Thompson opened several accounts on Internet auction Web sites, offering computer software and electronic goods, according to the FTC. They allegedly accepted payment but then failed to deliver the promised merchandise, the FTC continued.
The Commission also charged that Thompson and Germek constantly changed their Internet auction account names to conceal the fact that they were defrauding consumers.
In 2001, the two allegedly embarked on serial identity theft setting up bank accounts and post office boxes in other people’s names, and directing that payment be sent to them.
According to the FTC, the identity theft victims were people with whom Thompson had personal relationships, people whose information Germek had taken from the records of a suburban Chicago hotel.
The default judgment entered against Thompson also ordered him to pay $88,056.18 in consumer redress.
In her settlement, Germek provided $5,713.59 to be used for consumer redress. She also agreed to a suspended judgment to pay $41,186.94 if she is found to have misrepresented her financial situation.
