Skip to content
  • News
  • »
  • Fiction
  • »
  • Fraudster jailed for selling fake signed books

    • Fraudster jailed for selling fake signed books

    Date: 09/02/2010
    A fraudster in the US has been sentenced to 33 months in prison after forging authors' signatures in copies of their books and selling them on eBay.

    Forrest R. Smith III scammed hundreds of book collectors, who were duped into believing they were paying for signed copies of work by literary giants such as Kurt Vonnegut, Truman Capote, Toni Morrison and Norman Mailer, reports the Philadelphia Daily News.

    As well as receiving the 33-month jail term, Smith was ordered to make restitution to his victims, to the tune of USD 120,000 (GBP 77,000).

    Passing judgement on the case, US district judge Mitchell Goldberg ignored pleas from Smith to hand down a lenient sentence, claiming that he was capable of supporting his family in a modest way but 'took the easy way out' by committing fraud.

    Smith had two eBay accounts, one which he used to buy unsigned copies of books, the other, registered in his wife's name, was used to sell on the 'autographed' copies.

    It is believed Smith accrued up to USD 200,000 with the scam, which affected more than 250 people.

    At the end of last year, a British man was hauled before the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court over the theft of 13 antique horticultural books from the Royal Horticultural Society's London library, which he looked to sell on.ADNFCR-2557-ID-19605090-ADNFCR
    Bookmark Options


    Foyles Recommends