New Haven Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding EBay Customers

Nora R. Dannehy, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that YOCHANAN LEVITANSKY, 22, of Crescent Street, New Haven, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Peter C. Dorsey in New Haven to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for defrauding more than one thousand eBay customers by failing to deliver merchandise that had been ordered and paid for. Judge Dorsey also ordered LEVITANSKY to perform 150 hours of community service during his term of supervised release. On May 13, 2009, LEVITANSKY pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, in approximately April 2007, LEVITANSKY began operating “Bluetooth Kings LLC,” a business that sold mobile telephones and Bluetooth headsets through the Internet site eBay. In May 2008, LEVITANSKY began selling telecommunication devices on eBay with no intention of delivering products to his customers. During that time, approximately 1077 customers paid LEVITANSKY for telecommunication devices that they never received.

The total loss to eBay, which reimbursed many of LEVITANSKY’s customers, was approximately $237,257.

The investigation revealed that LEVITANSKY used some of the funds to pay for trips to Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Europe.

Today, Judge Dorsey ordered LEVITANSKY to pay restitution to eBay in the total amount of $237,257, at a rate of $300 per month.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward Chang.