A man has been fined £3,000 and ordered to carry out 250 hours community service after fixing an online auction on eBay.
Paul Barrett, 39 and from County Durham, became the first person to be convicted of shill bidding in April.
That's when online sellers bid on their own items to artificially bump up the price or get friends and family to do it for them.
Barrett was sentenced after admitting 10 counts at Bradford Crown Court.
The minibus hire firm boss pleaded guilty after an investigation by North Yorkshire Trading Standards found he had bid against himself on several items, including a pie and pasty warmer on sale for £127.
Mr Barrett told the court that he didn't realise the practice was against the law.
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