FORT MYERS, Fla. — An elderly Naples couple pleaded guilty Tuesday to a scheme involving stolen merchandise that netted them over $175,000 in sales through their eBay store, federal prosecutors said.
Richard Murtaugh, 81, and Gail Murtaugh, 77, admitted in court to engaging in a conspiracy to commit mail fraud by stealing goods from big-box retailers and grocers in Collier and Lee Counties. According to court records, the couple stole personal hygiene products, over-the-counter medications, and other items and sold them on their eBay store, “dickandgail.”
The couple’s operation reportedly began in September 2020 and continued through May 2022. During that period, surveillance footage captured them stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise, including teeth whitening kits, grooming supplies, and drill bits from retailers in Southwest Florida. eBay records showed that the Murtaughs received over $175,000 in payments for their sales of stolen goods during this time frame.
In April 2022, postal inspectors executed a search warrant at the Murtaughs’ home in Naples. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, investigators found stolen goods matching those observed in the surveillance footage, and evidence on the couple’s iPads showed photos of items that matched their eBay listings.
Each faces up to 20 years in federal prison, with sentencing dates yet to be determined.
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