U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Keith Furman, 45, of
Williamsville, New York, who was convicted of wire fraud, was sentenced to 18
months by Chief U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. The defendant was also
ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $209,758.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Campana, who handled the case, stated that
the defendant operated a business called Digital Ad experience. In 2009 and
early 2010, Furman received about $190,000 from investors, with the
understanding the money would be used to buy digital advertising screens that
would be installed in shopping malls to display advertising. The defendant
assured the investors that he used all the money to pay for the screens but
instead made only partial payment for the screens. Furman used the rest of the
money for living expenses and for other businesses he was running.
The defendant also admitted that he fraudulently marketed more than $25,000
worth of VoIP telephones (voice over Internet protocol) through eBay in December
2010. Furman used an eBay account in the name of Oceana Matrix, a company for
which he served as president. Furman could not fulfill the orders because he did
not have the phones he was offering for sale. This loss was absorbed by
eBay.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by special agents of the
United States Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge
Tracy Gast; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of
Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Piehota.
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