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Naugatuck Man Admits Operating Phony Coupon Scheme

An area man will face up to 20 years behind bars for operating a phony coupon scheme to defraud his victims of nearly $200,000.

Federal Courthouse in New Haven.

Federal Courthouse in New Haven.

Photo Credit: U.S. Federal Courthouses

Naugatuck resident Thomas Papcin, 48, pleaded guilty in New Haven federal court this week to one count of mail fraud stemming from his role in a fraudulent coupon scheme.

U.S. Attorney John Durham said that "in order for a coupon producer to obtain holographic coupon paper, the producer is required to provide to the coupon paper vendor the name of the company for whom the producer is producing coupons, as well as a point of contact for the company for whom the producer is producing coupons.”

On multiple occasions, Papcin purchased holographic coupon paper from a vendor by misrepresenting the companies that he was producing coupons for, providing fictitious contact information for those companies.

Papcin then used the holographic paper to create faux coupons, advertised the coupons online and through email, selling those coupons to customers who believed they were authentic. Those coupons were then shipped to customers through the mail.

Through this scheme, Papcin defrauded his customers of $193,027.25, Durham said.

Papcin remains released on a $200,000 bond and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, when he will face up to 20 years in prison. 

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