Columbus Woman Faces Ohio Antitrust and Fraud Charges Over Alleged Online Auction Bid-Rigging Scheme

Grand jury indictment centers on alleged “shill bidding” and identity misuse in online auctions

A Franklin County grand jury has indicted a Columbus woman on multiple felony counts tied to an alleged bid-rigging scheme that prosecutors say manipulated online auction prices and relied on unauthorized use of personal information. The case is set to proceed in Franklin County, with an arraignment scheduled for March 6, 2026.

The defendant, Lindsay Klein, who is also known as Lindsay Leslie, was indicted on one count each of price fixing, bid-rigging and telecommunications fraud, along with two counts of identity fraud. Under Ohio criminal procedure, an indictment is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

How the alleged scheme worked

The indictment alleges that, between July 2022 and March 2023, Klein operated through a business identified as Priceless Discoveries and used fake identities to place bids on 760 auction items. Investigators describe the practice as “shill bidding,” a form of auction manipulation in which a seller or an associated party bids on items to create an appearance of stronger demand and drive up the final sale price.

Prosecutors allege that the conduct increased auction closing prices by approximately $9,000 during the charged period. The merchandise was sold through an online auction platform identified as Capital City Online Auctions.

Claims of identity fraud tied to bidder profiles

In addition to the alleged auction manipulation, the indictment outlines claims that bidder accounts were created or accessed using personal information without authorization:

• A bidder profile allegedly created using the stolen personal information of a 55-year-old Columbus man, who investigators say did not know an account existed in his name and reported he never participated in the auctions. Prosecutors allege that profile frequently appeared as the second-highest bidder.
• A second bidder profile associated with a 69-year-old Reynoldsburg woman that prosecutors allege was accessed and used without her permission.
• A third bidder profile allegedly used in the name of Klein’s mother, Rhonda Kelley, which prosecutors say was used to place hundreds of bids and at times created the appearance of competition among accounts controlled from the same location.

Regulatory referral and the legal framework

The case grew out of reported irregular bidding activity that was referred by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, identified as the state regulator of auctions. The investigation was conducted jointly with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

The price-fixing and bid-rigging counts are charged under Ohio’s Valentine Act, the state’s antitrust law. Prosecutors contend the alleged conduct restrained competition and harmed consumers by distorting the pricing process in online auctions. The case is being handled by the Attorney General’s Antitrust Section.

Indictments are criminal allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless proved guilty in a court of law.