Per Reuters and other sources, eBay entertainment memorabilia dealer David Bruce Shyrock plead guilty to fraud charges in federal court today. The Missouri resident faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $500,000 for a variety of charges, including defrauding over 1,200 eBay users out of nearly $175,000 by selling memorabilia with forged autographs on the popular online auction website.
Shyrock pleaded guilty before a U.S. District Judge to wire fraud and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that he used eight different eBay accounts to sell record album covers and sports memorabilia with fake/forged autographs. Prosecutors claim that Shyrock defrauded eBay users for over six years.
Per a story from the News-Leader out of Springfield, Missouri, Shyrock opened eBay and PayPal accounts in the names of other people, and had funds from the sales deposited into bank accounts under the control of those other individuals, who with drew the funds and provided them to Shyrock, taking a percentage of the total for participating in the fraud.
Again, per the News-Leader article, though Shyrock defrauded eBay users of nearly $175,000, eBay and PayPal only lost $2,512 as “as the result of reimbursing customers for claims regarding fraudulent transactions and failure to provide merchandise”. There is no reporting on the outstanding funds owed to the defrauded eBay and PayPal users.
More from the News-Leader:
Shryock was arrested on Dec. 15, 2010, following a police chase. According to today’s plea agreement, Joplin police officers responded to a call regarding a burglary in progress at The Law Offices of Ty Gaither.
When officers arrived, the back door of the business was broken out and a Cadillac was parked behind the business. When Shryock walked out of the business and saw the police officers, he got into the Cadillac and drove off at a high rate of speed. Another officer, who had been parked in front of the business, initiated his lights and sirens but Shryock refused to stop and a pursuit ensued. Shryock drove off a cliff and ran from his vehicle, but was arrested after a brief foot chase.
Officers searched Shryock’s vehicle and found a Norinco 9mm semi-automatic pistol, which Ty Gaither identified as his, and which he had been keeping at his office.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Shryock has prior felony convictions for forgery, failure to return rental property, possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful merchandising practice.
Jason DeBord