China News Service, Hangzhou, January 15 (Guo Qiyu) During the epidemic, masks became a necessity. Tang, a man from Jiande, Hangzhou, defrauded more than 2.85 million yuan under the pretence of selling masks.

The reporter learned from the People's Court of Jiande City, Hangzhou City on the 15th that Tang was a recidivist in the execution of the sentence twice. The court sentenced Tang to 11 years and 6 months in prison for fraud and a fine of 110,000 yuan.

　　At the beginning of the outbreak in early 2020, the supply of anti-epidemic materials such as masks fell short of demand. Tang, who had served twice in prison for theft and fraud crimes, sensed "business opportunities."

He posted false source information in Moments, claiming that he had a channel to purchase masks to accept others to order masks, and made a false promise of "payment of deposits and cash on delivery" to the victim, collecting mask orders from others to commit fraud.

　　Within two months, Tang Mou defrauded Zhang and other four people to order masks for more than 2.85 million yuan.

Because there is no source of goods, Tang has not shipped the masks since then, except for purchasing masks at a low price to ship some masks to the victims.

In order to conceal the truth, he fabricated various reasons for delaying the shipment, and prevaricate by collecting money from the next victim to refund part of the previous victim, and most of the money collected was used for illegal activities such as gambling.

　　The court found that the defendant Tang used the purpose of illegal possession and used the telecommunication network to fabricate false information about the sale of anti-epidemic materials to defraud other people's property during the epidemic prevention and control period.

Tang, who commits another crime within 5 years of the execution of the sentence, should be sentenced to a fixed-term imprisonment or more. He is a repeat offender and shall be given a heavier punishment; he voluntarily pleaded guilty at the stage of prosecution and pleaded guilty to a lenient punishment.

　　The court then sentenced the defendant Tang to the crime of fraud and sentenced him to 11 years and 6 months in prison and a fine of 110,000 yuan.

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