A Florida man has been found guilty of mail fraud following a mass-mailing scam that targeted small businesses across the United States. Robert W. Lederhilger III was convicted on September 15, 2025, after a one-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter in New York.
According to prosecutors, Lederhilger operated companies starting in 2015 that claimed to offer webhosting services. Over more than seven years, he mailed over three million documents designed to look like invoices for webhosting services to small businesses, many of which already had websites and believed the bills were legitimate requests from their existing providers.
Victims who paid these invoices received no service in return, only subsequent “renewal” bills each year seeking further payments. Prosecutors say Lederhilger collected at least $2.99 million from the scheme between 2015 and 2021.
“Robert W. Lederhilger III defrauded tens of thousands of small businesses over the course of more than seven years,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Lederhilger mailed fake bills for webhosting services to businesses across the country and collected payments from victims without providing them with webhosting—or any other service. This federal criminal conviction demonstrates that New Yorkers will not tolerate fraud and want those who victimize the public through lies held accountable.”
Lederhilger, age 44 and a resident of Bradenton, Florida, was convicted of one count of mail fraud, an offense carrying a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison under federal law. The actual sentence will be determined by the judge at a later date.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton credited the investigative efforts of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in uncovering the fraudulent activity.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille L. Fletcher, Getzel Berger, Kevin Grossinger, and Daniel G. Nessim from the General Crimes Unit with support from Paralegal Specialists Christopher Harris and Alexandra LeBaron.
