Baltimore Pawn Shop Owner Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Scheme
Scott Bradford, a 49-year-old man from Glen Burnie, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the sale of stolen merchandise through his pawn shop, Fast Money. The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein and other law enforcement officials. Bradford and his associates operated Fast Money from 2007 to March 2010, purchasing and selling mass quantities of stolen merchandise, including over-the-counter medications, health and beauty aid products, gift cards, DVDs, tools, and other items.
Key Takeaways:
- Bradford and his associates purchased and sold over $2.8 million in stolen items using eBay and PayPal.
- The stolen items were obtained from shoplifters who stole products from retailers such as Target, Safeway, Wal-Mart, Kohl's, and others.
- Bradford and his associates used nominee names and bank accounts to continue selling stolen items after their eBay account was closed.
- Law enforcement recovered over $1 million in stolen merchandise, approximately $1 million in bank accounts, and over $140,000 in cash from the pawn shops.
- Fifteen defendants have pleaded guilty to the money laundering conspiracy to date.
- Bradford faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Statistics:
- Over $2.8 million in stolen items were sold using eBay and PayPal.
- Between $1 million and $2.5 million in stolen merchandise was reasonably foreseeable to Bradford during the conspiracy.
- Over $1 million in stolen merchandise was recovered by law enforcement.
- Approximately $1 million in bank accounts was recovered by law enforcement.
- Over $140,000 in cash was recovered by law enforcement.
Sources:
- United States Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service
- Baltimore County Police Department
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Baltimore Police Department
- Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation