OC businessman sentenced five years for $2.5M fraud scheme

An Ocean City businessman has been sentenced in connection to a $2.5 million fraud scheme, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced Friday.

Joshua Shores, 44, was sentenced to five years in prison, officials said. Shores had been accused of trafficking fraudulent sports memorabilia from 2008 until 2013.

Shores was convicted of creating, owning and operating several internet businesses in Pennsylvania and Maryland where he would use multiple PayPal and Amazon accounts to buy counterfeit sports jerseys and add fake autographs to them, then resell them as if they were authentic. Officials say Shores opened more than 80 bank accounts during this period.

In addition to his prison time, Shores must pay $500,000 in restitution, a $5,000 fine and must forfeit $140,000 in assets. Officials also say he will have two years of supervision after he leaves prison.

The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case, officials said.