A Romanian citizen was condemned by a US court to 27 years of prison time for internet fraud, Chicago Tribune reads, quoted by Romanian news television Realitatea TV. This punishment is one of the highest ever given so far. Adrian Florin Fechet, a 39 year old Romanian man, was found guilty for
stealing 5 million US dollars from 2,000 eBay shoppers and from other internet users.Prosecutors declared that victims auctioned several amounts for eBay products but did not offer enough to actually buy the product. They received an electronic message from the one who offered the product for sale, announcing them that they have a second chance to buy it. The message however, was sent from Romania, from members of Fechet’s group.
Buyers willing to try their chance again would pay online to members of the group in the US that would then transfer the money to Romania. However, those transferring the money did not receive anything in return.
Fechet was one of the 21 people accused in this case. Other three members of the group managed to escape the police forces and all the rest, with two notable exceptions, received punishments of two to eight years in prison.