Essex County Man Gets 35 Months In Prison For Defrauding Customers, Stealing Their Credit Card Information

NEWARK, N.J. – A Bloomfield, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 35 months in prison for failing to deliver goods his business sold to customers, stealing his customers’ credit card information and falsely claiming that purchases on his own account were fraudulent, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Scott Spina Jr., 21, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud. Judge Salas imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Spina was in the business of selling sneakers and other high-end items to customers that included professional athletes. However, after he contracted with these customers and collected payment, he failed to deliver the goods as promised.

Spina also made personal purchases using credit card information provided by his customers and others without their authorization. In addition, he contacted his credit card company and falsely claimed that numerous purchases on his account were fraudulent. Altogether, Spina admitted he obtained or sought to obtain more than $550,000 in money or goods.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas sentenced Spina to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $516,396.33.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge Judy Ramos, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence. He also thanked the Salem County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor John T. Lenahan; the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; the East Hanover Police Department, under the direction of Chief Christopher F. Cannizzo; and the West Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief James P. Abbott, for their assistance with the case.

The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.

Defense counsel: Vincent Scoca Esq., Bloomfield