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Delivery Man Arrested for Scamming New York Times


By

John Del Signore

Published Aug 6, 2008

Modified Aug 6, 2008


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By

John Del Signore

Published Aug 6, 2008

Modified Aug 6, 2008


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080608elliott.jpgA 50-year-old Wisconsin paper boy who tried to get a life (thank you) by billing the Times for thousands of fake subscriptions is now charged with wire fraud. Martin Holtet of La Crosse, Wis. allegedly created 8,500 fictitious New York Times readers to help boost his sales numbers; lawyers for the Times say the company then paid him $227,000 to deliver the papers, which he recycled instead. The Times also claims it lost almost $100,000 in printing expenses, and of course the Sulzbergers will want something for the emotional trauma suffered after discovering they have 8,500 less readers than they thought.

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fraud

paper boy

times

wisconsin


John Del Signore

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Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.

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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


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