U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
District of Nevada
Daniel G. Bogden
United States Attorney

NEW S RELEASE
FOR IM M EDIATE RELEASE:
W EDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2005

100 West Liberty
Suite 600
Reno, NV 89501

(775) 784-5438
FAX: (775) 784-5181

PRESS CONTACTS:
Natalie Collins, Public Affairs Specialist
(702) 388-6508
District Internet Site - http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nv/

“LEGO THIEF” INDICTED ON FEDERAL MAIL & WIRE FRAUD CHARGES
RENO - - A former Reno resident was indicted by the Federal Grand Jury today for
allegedly stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars of “Lego” merchandise from various retail
stores and selling it on the Internet, announced Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the
District of Nevada.
William A. Swanberg, age 41, currently a resident of Hillsboro, Oregon, is charged with
six counts of Mail Fraud and six counts of Wire Fraud. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in
prison and a $250,000 fine on each count.
According to the Indictment, from June 1, 2005, to November 16, 2005, while Swanberg
was residing at 2095 Brisbane Avenue in Reno, he allegedly prepared counterfeit sales bar codes
(known as UPC codes) for Lego merchandise. Swanberg visited various retail stores, such as
Target, Toys-R-Us, and Wal-Mart, in Texas, Oregon, California, Arizona, and Utah, and placed
the counterfeit bar code label over the legitimate bar code label on the Lego merchandise.
Swanberg then purchased the Lego merchandise for much less than the legitimately-listed price.
Swanberg listed the stolen Lego products for sale on the internet auction site “eBay” and
the Internet webpages, “www.bricklink.com” and “www.barteringthebrick.com,” and failed to

- MORE-

 News Release
U.S. v. William A. Swanberg
Page 2
disclose to the customers that the merchandise had been stolen. After Swanberg sold the
merchandise, he mailed it to customers in various states, and received payment via the “PayPal”
Internet business which allows the electronic transfer of money between email users and
merchants.
Using this scheme, Swanberg allegedly stole thousands of boxes of Lego merchandise
from the various retail stores and sold hundreds of thousands of dollars of the merchandise on the
Internet. Swanberg also stored tens of thousands of dollars of stolen Lego merchandise at his
residence in Reno.
A warrant was issued for Mr. Swanberg’s arrest. Upon arrest, he will be brought before a
U.S. Magistrate Judge for an initial appearance hearing.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and prosecuted by
Assistant United States Attorney Craig S. Denney.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of
guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has
the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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