Bristol man faces federal fraud charges for bogus online business

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Federal authorities say a Bristol man has been indicted for wire fraud in connection with a bogus online custom-made furniture business.

The U.S. Attorney for Vermont says David Conrad, 42, operated the business “Old Camp Woodworking” out of his garage and that his Facebook and other websites featured plagiarized photos of custom-made wood items like dining tables, dressers, and bedroom sets.

They say between January and February, he accepted orders worth $165,500 from nearly 100 customers in Vermont, New York, and New Hampshire. But authorities say he knew he could not complete the orders within the 12-to-16-week timeframe promised, and that his refund policies included steep penalties, including no refunds after 30 days. They say he fabricated numerous excuses to customers for the delays, including that he had a heart attack.

Conrad was arrested Thursday and was due to be arraigned Friday. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years and a $250,000 fine as well as restitution to the victims.