United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated that Ashley Turner Doyle, age 39, of Charleston, pled guilty yesterday in federal court in
Charleston to Mail Fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341. Senior United States District Court Judge C. Weston Houck accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
According to documents filed in court and statements made during the plea, from January 2006 through February 2009, Doyle conducted an internet auction fraud scheme on eBay by selling knock-off jewelry as genuine and also sometimes failing to deliver any jewelry to paying customers.
Doyle operated her eBay auction business out of her home located in downtown Charleston. From this location, she connected to the Internet, createdonline auctions, posted digital photographs of merchandise, responded to customer inquiries, monitored online auctions, and corresponded with auction winners. Shipments to auction winners were also packaged at this location.
In order to effectuate the scheme, Doyle established an online merchant account with eBay using false information, including the name “Connie Samo,” a Georgia address, and a Georgia phone number. She used several User IDs to host her online auctions, used several email addresses in relation to the User IDs and for the purpose of finalizing sales of items on eBay, and used several names in relation
to the User IDs and for the purpose of finalizing sales of items on eBay, including, but not limited to, the following: “Connie Samo” and “Sarah Yarmie.” Furthermore, Doyle used several different company names for her online auction business, including, but not limited to, the following names: “Solidity,” Solidity, Inc.,” Solidarity, Inc.,” “Jevani,” Wentworth Enterprizes,” and “Solas, Inc.”
To further hide from her customers, Doyle established an account for “Solidity” with a commercial mail receiving agency with locations across the country, including locations in Beaverton, Oregon and Seattle, Washin gton.
Doyle used the remote addresses to give the appearance that her business “Solidity” was located in Beaverton and/or Seattle when in fact she resided/operated in downtown Charleston. Doyle’s preferred payment method was for the auction winners to mail her money orders as payment for the jewelry. As for the specifics of the mail fraud count charged in the Information, a victim who lived in Charleston won an eBay auction on April 23, 2008 for a new DavidYurman bracelet for $255.00. The seller was Doyle, who was representing herself as “Sarah Yarmie.” The victim emailed “Sarah Yarmie” and said she wanted to pay for the bracelet using PayPal, but “Sarah Yarmie” said no and told the victim to mail the payment to the Beaverton, Oregon address. On April 29, 2008, the victim mailed a Postal Money Order via U SPS in the amount of $255.00 to the Beaverton, Oregon address. Doyle then mailed a knock-off/cheap imitation bracelet to the victim. A
representative of Yurman Design, Inc. later confirmed that the bracelet was not an authentic piece of David Yurman jewelry.
The United States Postal Inspection Service identified 103 complaints filed against Doyle and/or the various company names she used in her scheme. As part of her plea agreement, Doyle stipulated that the loss amount for sentencing purposes is $21,203.61.
Mr. Nettles stated the maximum penalty Doyle could rec eive is a fine of $250,000 and/or imprisonment for 20 years, a special assessment of $100, and supervised release of 3 years.
The case was investigated by agents of the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Dean H. Secor of the Charleston Office prosecuted the case.
Related posts:
- Former Canopy Financial Co-Founder Pleads Guilty to $75 Million Investment Fraud; Purchased jewelry Using Misappropriated Funds
- FORMER PRINCIPAL AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF WEXTRUST CAPITAL PLEADS GUILTY IN MANHATTAN FEDERAL COURT TO INVESTMENT FRAUD SCHEME
- Miami jeweler pleads guilty to $40 million Ponzi scheme and $12 million bank fraud scheme
- Pikesville Jewelry Store Owner Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering
- 10.54 Carat Diamond Engagement Ring Among Bernard L. and Ruth Madoff Jewelry and Other Items to be Auctioned Off
