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Man Pleads Guilty In Fraudulent Charity Scheme

Sentencing is pending for a Columbus man who has pleaded guilty to ripping off the federal government. 34-year-old Jonathan Webster pleaded guilty yesterday to federal identity theft and wire fraud charges. Webster admitted to getting Social Security numbers through fake charities, then filing more than 500 phony tax returns in the names of his victims. Federal prosecutors say Webster collected more than one-and-a-half-million dollars through the scheme.

Jim has been with WCBE since 1996. Before that he worked as a reporter at another Columbus radio station, and for three newspapers in Southwest Florida.