07/29/09Man accused of using $200K in counterfeit postage

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An eBay seller from Williamstown, N.J., has pleaded guilty in federal to using counterfeit postage.

Joseph Matta, 51, cheated the U.S. Postal Service out of as much as $200,000, authorities allege.

Matta operated JMH Music Video and Entertainment, an eBay-based business selling compact discs and videos, said Ralph J. Marra Jr., acting U.S. attorney.

According to court documents, Matta obtained a postage meter through Stamps.com to send packages to his customers. He maintained a balance of about $15 a week on the meter.

Routinely, Matta would print a postage meter strip through Stamps.com. But rather than pay postage for each individual package, Matta duplicated the meter strip numerous times using a personal computer and printer at his home.

He would then take the packages to area post office locations and drop them in the mail, the government said.

A charge of postage meter counterfeiting carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the aggregate loss to the victims or gain to the defendant.

Matta is free on $10,000 bond pending sentencing, scheduled for Nov. 6.


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