Jeffrey Tomasik, Mail Fraud, New York 2017

Jeffrey Tomasik, 33, of Hamburg, N.Y., pleaded guilty to mail fraud in connection with a used textbook scam, according to a guilty plea entered before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci Jr.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth R. Moellering stated that Tomasik ran a used textbook scheme whereby he would rent textbooks from Amazon and other companies and then sell the textbooks on eBay.

Using aliases and at least 20 online accounts with different email addresses to perpetrate the fraud, Tomasik did not return the textbooks when the rental contracts had expired.

Instead, he sold them online while ignoring the collection notices.

The defendant also entered into a sizeable contract to sell used textbooks to victims in California.

After receiving an approximately $50,000 down payment on the contract via PayPal, Tomasik allegedly sent a single textbook and removed his bank information from his PayPal account so that the victims could not recoup their money.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service under the direction of Inspector-in-Charge Shelly Binkowski of the Boston Division.

Sentencing is scheduled for September 14, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Geraci.

Tomasik is currently awaiting sentencing.

The case highlights the importance of being cautious when dealing with online transactions and the consequences of committing fraud.

According to the investigation, Tomasik used various aliases and online accounts to carry out the scam, demonstrating the complexity of modern-day fraud.

The sentence Tomasik receives will be determined by the court based on the severity of the crime and other factors.

For now, Tomasik remains free on bail pending sentencing.

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