A Brit was caught red-handed trying to sell a stick on eBay that supposedly belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth II and had to quickly put an end to his plan.
Dru Marshall famously claimed he was a valet at Windsor Castle, where the Queen resided in her final years of reign, when he decided to auction off a “stag antler stick,” the BBC reported.
The 26-year-old said in his announcement that Queen Elizabeth II was said to have used the cane when she was “struggling with mobility” late in her life. He also falsely claimed that the money from this sale would benefit a cancer organization.
The bid reached 540 pounds sterling (or 919 Canadian dollars), but went nowhere as the scammer quickly removed the ad when he realized the police were investigating his case.
He pleaded not guilty to fraud by false representation and repeatedly argued that it was more of a joke in bad taste, according to the British media.
However, computer evidence showed Mr Marshall conducted several online searches about the Queen and “how to remove a listing from eBay”, making clear his intent to defraud.
Ultimately, he was sentenced to pay a fine of 613 pounds sterling (1,043 Canadian dollars) and to perform community service.