Fraudster Stole $900K From Best Buy

Is ripping off Best Buy destined to be this summer’s hot new felony? Just last week, an Illinois couple was convicted of bilking the retail giant of $41 million over a four-year period. Now, a Pennsylvania man has pleaded guilty to scamming Best Buy for a more modest $900,000, by submitting false invoices for electronics equipment.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports:

A 35-year-old Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty Friday in St. Paul to defrauding Richfield-based Best Buy Co. out of more than $900,000 in a billing scheme.

Joseph Anthony Graziola III, of Glenmills, Pa., admitted that from December 2004 through December 2005 he submitted fraudulent invoices to Best Buy for the shipment of electronics equipment that was never sent.

Graziola also ran a bogus credit-repair business, which claimed it would wipe bad data from credit reports. He can be sentenced to up to 20 years for each of five mail fraud convictions in connection with the credit-repair business, and another two years for the Best Buy scheme.

Pennsylvanian pleads guilty to $900,000 scam of Best Buy [StarTribune.com]

PREVIOUSLY: Illinois Couple Convicted Of Bilking Best Buy For $41 Million

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.