SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jason Pannone, age 40, of North Providence, Rhode Island was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment and two years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for conspiring to commit wire and mail fraud, and for aggravated identity theft offenses.
According to Acting United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Pannone was convicted of processing false invoices for nonexistent automobile repairs through his Providence, Rhode Island automobile detailing shop, Platinum Auto Services, and through Ultra Auto Services, where he was employed. The invoices were sent to and paid by an automobile warranty company in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Pannone pleaded guilty on March 23, 2021, to causing between $150,000 and $250,000 of fraudulent loss to the Wilkes-Barre based automobile warranty company. Judge Mannion ordered Pannone to pay restitution of $128,667.16 to the victim of his crime.
Three of Pannone’s coconspirators were convicted in this investigation:
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phillip J. Caraballo and Jeffrey St John prosecuted the case.
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