Former New York Times distributor sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for fraud

Judge sentences Wis. man for defrauding NY Times

MADISON, Wis. — A former New York Times distributor has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for defrauding the newspaper company out of $334,000.

According to court documents, Martin T. Holtet of La Crosse distributed the paper in that area. He was paid for every paper he distributed to subscribers.

Between 2007 and early 2008 he created as many as 8,500 fake subscriptions through the paper’s online subscription service. He had a recycling company haul away about 93 tons’ worth of papers after they arrived. Holtet pleaded guilty to fraud in June.

U.S. District Court Barbara Crabb ordered Holtet to repay the New York Times Co. $334,000 when he gets out. She told him it was stupid to think his scheme would work.