A US court has sentenced a man who made $100,000 by defrauding
internet auction shoppers to 12 years in prison. Tomas Houser
offered items such as electronics and watches to consumers using
the eBay and Yahoo! auction sites. The goods did not actually
exist.
According to reports, Houser defrauded at least 268 internet
shoppers. The 12-year sentence is, according to the US Department
of Justice, the most severe penalty ever for internet auction
fraud.
Houser’s car and nearly $50,000 in cash have been seized by the
authorities. The money will be used to repay his victims.
Houser was first arrested last December. He pleaded guilty to
similar offences and was released on bail. He then continued his
illegal on-line activities, operating from motel rooms in an
attempt to evade arrest. Two months later he was arrested again, in
Georgia.
