A Cambridge Springs man who allegedly tricked thousands of people in Erie, Meadville and Mercer County into applying for jobs that didn't exist has been banned from practicing business in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Mike Fisher alleged John Tobias violated Pennsylvania's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.

Tobias' company, "American Air," placed ads in several newspapers, including The Herald and Allied News of Grove City, claiming a company called "American Air Line" or "American Air Lines" was relocating its main production facility to the area where the newspaper was based. It offered 45 manufacturing, clerical, delivery, shipping and receiving and customer service jobs starting at $14.75 an hour.