A Florida couple admits to selling stolen goods on eBay

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FORT MYERS, Fla. – An elderly Naples couple pleaded guilty Tuesday to participating in a stolen goods scheme that netted them more than $175,000 in sales on eBay, federal prosecutors said.

Richard Murtaugh, 81, and Gail Murtaugh, 77, pleaded guilty in court to conspiring to engage in mail fraud by stealing merchandise from large-box retailers and grocery stores in Collier and Lee counties. According to court records, the couple stole personal care products, over-the-counter medications and other items and then sold them on their “dickandgail” eBay store.

The pair’s operation reportedly began in September 2020 and continued until May 2022. Surveillance footage captured them stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise, including teeth whitening kits, grooming items and drills, from vendors during this period retail in Southwest Florida. eBay records showed the Murtaughs received more than $175,000 in payments for selling stolen goods during that period.

In April 2022, postal inspectors executed a search warrant at the Murtaugh home in Naples. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, investigators found stolen goods matching those seen in surveillance video, and evidence on the couple’s iPads included photos of items matching their eBay listings.

Each faces up to 20 years in federal prison, with sentencing dates not yet known.