Tustin Men Plead Guilty in Copier Toner Bill Scheme
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Two Tustin men pleaded guilty Monday to fraud for collecting more than $900,000 from businesses that paid phony bills for copy machine toner, federal authorities said.
Mike Mueller and Vern Willhite, both 36, entered guilty pleas in U.S. District Court to one count each of wire fraud and mail fraud.
Beginning in 1994, they would call offices claiming to be copier servicemen to get the machines’ serial numbers, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellyn Lindsay. Then they would bill for toner shipments that were never made, the charges alleged.
More than 1,000 companies paid the phony bills, Lindsay said.
Mueller was scheduled for sentencing Oct. 5; Willhite for Nov. 16. Lane Devin Fife, 38, who was also charged with taking part in the scheme, was scheduled for trial Sept. 8.
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