A federal judge in Santa Ana, CA, has sentenced a man to 14 months in prison for bilking more than $37,000 from customers who bid on items on the eBay online auction site.
According to published wire reports, Robert J. Guest, 31, of Blue Jay, CA, plead guilty in July to one count of mail fraud and one count of illegally obtaining a credit card, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. He was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Gary L. Taylor.
The report said Guest, who also used the name Darren Jay Farmer, posted phony listings with eBay in May 1998, including offers to sell Sony digital cameras, IBM laptop computers and gems, prosecutors said. After the auctions closed, Guest contacted the winning bidders and asked them to send payment for the merchandise through the mail.
Guest accepted and cashed some $37,000 in checks and money orders from bidders but never delivered the merchandise.
