MADISONVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) — In a bizarre twist of events, a man from Hopkins County faces allegations of substituting apple juice for expensive bourbon in a Facebook sales scheme.
According to court filings, a UPS investigator alerted the Madisonville Police Department about an alleged organized crime operation. The investigator claimed that James Willetts, aged 38, was fraudulently marketing what he purported to be rare bourbon within Facebook groups.
Concerns arose when the Madisonville UPS branch received multiple complaints from customers who had anticipated receiving bourbon from Willetts, only to find their packages contained water bottles and apple juice.
Records indicate that the first incident was flagged in January 2025. UPS staff informed police that Willetts had dispatched several empty boxes to a buyer in Oklahoma, who was under the impression that the shipping fees were $918.
Willetts allegedly explained to UPS workers that the empty boxes were part of a prank, while admitting to sending 15 other parcels via UPS over the previous six months.
Court documents report that investigators have located victims in Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Florida.
“These transactions totaled approximately 97 collectible bottles sold,” Madisonville police wrote.
Willetts allegedly scammed customers out of over $86,000.
He was arrested on June 3 and charged with theft by deception of $10,000 or more. Willetts has since been released on a $10,000 bond.