Daytona Beach, FL - A Daytona Beach man, 46-year-old Christian Mosco, is facing an extortion charge in relation to an email sent to Jon Hall Chevrolet on May 15, 2019, and specifically to Glenn Ritchey, owner of the dealership.
Volusia County Sheriff's investigators say the email claimed possession of customer sales records from 2002-2004. It also stated that the records include personal information such as social security numbers and birthdates.
In the email, the unidentified sender requested a new automobile and $50,000, saying that if the matter was ignored, he would "promptly publish to all local media the fact that Jon Hall Chevrolet has allowed their customers private identity information to be tossed to the curb per se. This I believe would devastate Mr. Ritchey's future business and of course expose Mr. Ritchey to a class action lawsuit that would certainly cost him millions of dollars."
Though the sender did not identify himself, the email was sent from Christian Mosco's own gmail account.
A follow-up email with photos of sales orders attached requested Ritchey's attorney's information and stated that the unknown individual was willing to sign a nondisclosure agreement and turn over the documents in exchange for the new vehicle and the $50,000 cash payment.
Another email had a nondisclosure agreement attached between "Christian Eugene Mosco" and Jon Hall Chevrolet, in which the cash and vehicle were again requested. Ritchey's assistant requested that the found sales documents be brought to the attorney's office and exchanged for the new car and cash requested.
On May 22, 2019, officers observed Mosco enter the building where the attorney's office was located. He had two cardboard boxes containing the sales orders when he was arrested.
After his arrest, Mosco told officers that he'd found the boxes on the street in front of 606 Lenox Avenue in Daytona Beach, which is beachside. He said he went to the Jon Hall Chevrolet website for contact information and sent the first email requesting a new vehicle and $50,000 cash. Mosco also admitted to writing the threat to contact the media.
Mosco said he did not think what he was doing was wrong as evidenced by the fact that he was willing to sign a nondisclosure agreement in exchange for the car and the money. He said he was not trying to be greedy and could have asked for more money.
Mosco is in the Volusia County Jail being held on a $7,500 bond.
