Novato Man Facing Internet Fraud Charges
NOVATO (CBS / AP) -- A Novato man is facing federal charges in an alleged Internet fraud scheme that bilked people out of tens of thousands of dollars.
The Marin Independent Journal reports that 49-year-old John Winston Boone was scheduled to make his first court appearance on nine counts of wire fraud on Friday, a day after he was arrested by the FBI.
Authorities say Boone sold website domain names and content, telling his customers that his previous websites had generated advertising revenue and showing them falsified financial documents and PayPal records. He allegedly cut off contact with them when they realized they were not receiving revenue.
He is accused of bilking customers out of $69,000.
The indictment was filed in Los Angeles, where authorities say the crimes occurred between at least 2005 through July 2010.
Boone's lawyer, James Lassart, declined comment to the Independent Journal.
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