A Maryland man has been caught in a scheme to scam over 100 victims out of $158,000 in fake puppy sales, authorities said.
Fonjeck Eric Azoh, 42, of Mount Rainier, Md., pleaded guilty to wire fraud, a charge that carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and potential financial penalties.
According to court documents, between January 2019 and October 2020, Azoh offered pit bull puppies for sale on various websites, agreeing to sell them to victims living throughout the United States, even though he never intended to provide them.
Azoh directed victims to send money to him through money transfer businesses, which he then collected at retail stores and elsewhere. Throughout the scheme, Azoh collected at least $158,000 from at least 119 victims who lived in 40 different states.
Azoh was arrested in January 2021 and has been in custody ever since. He will be sentenced on November 17, 2021, by the Honorable Carl J. Nichols in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
As part of the plea agreement, Azoh agreed to forfeit $67,000 seized by law enforcement during the investigation and pay an additional $92,000 forfeiture money judgment. He also agreed that a restitution order of at least $158,000 is appropriate in the case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips and Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Washington, D.C., commended the work of those who investigated the case, including Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Borchert, who prosecuted the case.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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