A Seinfeld plot come to life: Man pleads guilty in bottle and can deposit scam

Seinfeld fans will recognize this plan hatched by this Indiana man, who pleaded guilty to returning more than 10,000 out of state non-refundable beverage cans and bottles.

Just like Kramer and Newman tried to find a way to take advantage of Michigan’s 10-cent refund fee on bottles and cans in a two-part episode in the seventh season of “Seinfeld,” a 70-year-old Flint man and his partner found a way to make money off Michigan’s policy.

“This was not a one-time nickel-and-dime case,” Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said in a statement. “This man orchestrated bogus refunds for tens of thousands of non-returnable beverage containers. In effect, he stole from Michigan’s bottle return program that has long served to protect and promote a healthy environment.”

From 2012 to 2015, John Custer Woodfill bought uncrushed non-returnable cans in Indiana and then brought them to Michigan to redeem them, according to the attorney general. With the help of a now deceased partner, who operated a beverage can “recycling” outfit, he bought non-locally refundable soda and beer cans for 60 cents to 80 cents per pound.

Woodfill used a trailer to return the pounds of cans to Michigan for refunds. Woodfill created phony labels for some of the cans, according to the attorney general.

Woodfill pleaded guilty Monday. He owes $400,000 in restitution to Michigan and forfeited a van and trailer that he used. Woodfill will be sentenced May 2.

In the “Seinfeld” episode, Kramer and Newman never do make it to Michigan with their stash of empty bottles and cans collected in New York.

This story was originally published March 23, 2017 at 10:53 PM with the headline "A Seinfeld plot come to life: Man pleads guilty in bottle and can deposit scam."