Hudson Hamrick could face a maximum sentence in prison of 20 years and a $250,000 penalty. Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Amazon customer pleaded guilty for fraud to mail fake returns.
Prosecutors claimed that Hudson Hamrick of North Carolina bought high-end items and then returned them at a lower price.
Amazon noticed fraudulent returns that had been filed in 2016 and referred the matter to the FBI.
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Prosecutors said that an Amazon shopper who bought expensive items for five years, including a top of the line iMac Pro, and then mailed lower-priced items as returns could face up to 20 years imprisonment for wire fraud.
A court filing revealed that Hudson Hamrick, of Charlotte (North Carolina), pleaded guilty Tuesday to the US District Court for Western District of North Carolina.
On Tuesday, the Department of Justice released a statement stating that Hamrick could face a maximum sentence of 20 year imprisonment and a $250,000 penalty.
Hamrick's public lawyer did not immediately respond when Insiders asked for comment.
In September, US attorneys brought charges against Hamrick for allegedly engaging in more than 300 fraudulent transactions with Amazon. This included approximately 270 product returns, of which 250 were "materially differing in value". The total fraud amounting to more than $290,000. According to the charging document, and another that details several transactions, Hamrick was charged with.
Prosecutors said that many transactions were based on a simple pattern. Hamrick would order an item of high value, initiate a return and then mail another similar item. Prosecutors said that Hamrick would sometimes also sell the costly item to get both the return value and the resale price.
According to the US attorneys, Hamrick purchased an Apple iMac Pro in August 2019 for $4,256.85. Hamrick began the return process with Amazon after about two weeks. Amazon then issued a refund.
According to a court document filed in the US by Maria K. Vento (assistant US attorney), Hamrick instead of returning the high-end iMac Pro model, Hamrick sent a less valuable, older model with a different serial number.
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Vento stated that Hamrick sold an iMac Pro on eBay a week before he started his Amazon return.
Prosecutors stated that Hamrick ordered a Jura GIGA Professional coffee machine for $3536.46 and an Asus ROG Zephyrus gaming notebook for $2,776.52 respectively. A Fuji Spray system was purchased for $1,227.31. Prosecutors said that Hamrick returned an older model or a lower-value item each time.
Insider was told by an Amazon spokesperson that the tech giant found the fraud and referred it to law enforcement. It collaborated with the FBI in North Carolina and the US attorney's Office in North Carolina.
The spokesperson stated that Amazon has systems in place for detecting suspicious behavior and teams in place in order to investigate and stop illegal activity. Amazon is not a place for fraud, and we will continue to take all necessary steps to hold those responsible.
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