Rhode Island State Police Computer Crimes Unit Arrests North Scituate Man

Colonel Steven G. O’Donnell, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Commissioner of Public Safety, announces that on January 29, 2014, members of the Computer Crimes Unit arrested George Demedeiros of 90 Pine Hill Road, North Scituate Rhode Island for Obtaining Money Under False Pretenses over $1500.00 via the online auction site ebid.net.

The investigation was initiated by the State Police Computer Crimes Unit after information was received by two separate complainants regarding purchases made on the on-line auction website ebid.net.  Each complainant stated they paid between $425.00 and $450.00 to purchase a Playstation4 from the seller, but never received the merchandise.  The financial transactions were made through the use of PayPal.  PayPal is a service that allows payments and money transfers to be made between a buyer and seller through the Internet in a secure manner by protecting financial information and insuring the transaction.

The initial investigation revealed that PayPal had twenty-nine complaints totaling over $12,000.00 involving the same ebid.net seller.  Further investigation revealed that Mr. Demedeiros was allegedly responsible for all twenty-nine of the bogus transactions.  An affidavit and arrest warrant was obtained for Mr. Demedeiros, in addition to a search warrant for his residence.  During the execution of the search warrant, members of the computer crimes unit seized computers and digital media.

George Demedeiros was taken into custody and arraigned in Third Division District Court before the Honorable Judge William Clifton.  Mr. Demedeiros was released on $10,000.00 personal recognizance on the charges, with a pre-arraignment conference date of April 2, 2014.