Fla. man gets prison for coffee machine fraud

MIAMI - A South Florida man has been sentenced to just over a year prison for a fraud scheme involving coffee vending machines.

Prosecutors said Wednesday that James Cummings made false claims to investors about how much the coffee machines would earn. The machines cost a minimum of $10,000 each.

Cummings told investors they'd recoup all their money in 12 to 18 months. In fact, prosecutors say the investors lost all their money and some never got their coffee machines. Cummings pleaded guilty in November to a mail fraud conspiracy charge.

Another coffee machine conspirator, Manuel Rodriguez, went to trial and was convicted of eight federal charges. Prosecutors say Rodriguez was the leader of the scam. He got a stiff 10-year sentence.