SPRING HILL, Fla. – A Spring Hill man is facing a decade in federal prison after allegedly orchestrating a series of elaborate scams that swindled wholesale produce companies out of more than $600,000. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced on Thursday that 39-year-old Jason Canals has been arrested and charged with eight counts of interstate transport of stolen property.
Federal investigators say Canals operated two distinct schemes to hijack shipments of fruits and vegetables. In the first scenario, Canals allegedly posed as a legitimate business representative by using a company’s name and email signature without their permission.
After successfully requesting produce from victim companies, he would wait until the shipments were en route before diverting the trucks to a different location. The produce was never paid for, leaving the suppliers empty-handed…