A now notorious redheaded internet fraudster who duped eBay customers out of more than £100,000 has been ordered to pay back just £1.Ginger conman Phillip Shortman, 22 - nicknamed 'eBay Boy' by police - lived a luxury lifestyle from illegally trading on the auction site. He took holidays in New York, hired stretch limos and bought expensive designer clothes.
Dozens of his customers across Britain demanded their money back after police raided the house where he lived with his parents. But a court heard serial fraudster Shortman has spent every penny of his five-year internet crime spree. Likely several victims can think of few other forms of punishment they'd like to exact on him.
He is currently serving a 30-month jail sentence for a series of 16 frauds on eBay. Shortman was facing a £7,000 confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act. But a hearing revealed that two previous confiscation orders for a total of £95,000 had been unsuccessful.
Prosecutor John Warren said: 'The situation is that Shortman has no assets and cannot pay any money back.' Judge David Morris ordered Shortman to pay a nominal £1 - or face an extra seven days in jail.
Father-of-two Shortman was told that because he has no assets his £102,000 debt was effectively being wiped out yet any future assets he may acquire may be garnished as possible. 'We just hope he wins the lottery one day - that's the only way his customers could ever get their money back.'
Shortman was just 17 when he started advertising goods on eBay which did not exist from the bedroom of his home in Cwmbran, South Wales. His scams included selling non-existent rugby tickets, computer games, computer graphic cards and a PlayStation 3 console.He used the proceeds of his crime to fly first class to New York, staying in a five-star hotel overlooking Times Square. He hired stretch limos for nights out in Cardiff with his teenage pals and dressed in expensive designer gear.
After being alerted by eBay, police raided his home and found it stacked with top-of-the-line computer gear, hi-fis and flat screen TVs. But after being arrested and released on bail Shortman continued to con customers.
When he was jailed last year Judge Morris told Shortman: 'You are a thoroughly dishonest young man...
Info via Daily Mail UK
Tip courtesy: Jack Fritscher
2 comments:
'Totally hot?' - minging in my book and a crafty 'lil pickey thief who deserves whatever he gets in jail.
I only feel sorry for the two kids that he leaves at home for thirty long months who must have become accustomed to having some essentials (and a few material things) in their lives. I bet his mum watches after the kids...let's not glorify thieves even if they are a ginga!
He's not been glorified in this article. It only notes that he's attractive looking as a ginger but certainly not as a person.
This category focuses on happenings which involve redheaded men good, bad or indifferent.
No offense meant to anyone. Your sentiments about are shared.
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