Start-Up’s Chief Exec Quits After Criminal Past Exposed

The head of a Santa Ana start-up company that hopes to protect consumers from online fraud has resigned after disclosures that he had been convicted in the past of possessing 3 1/2 pounds of cocaine for sale and for being a felon in possession of a gun. Tony Mazzamuto’s past came to light after Southwest Airlines asked him to pay for two seats to accommodate his 400-pound body. Mazzamuto, who was chief executive of Cyberbuck Corp., complained to news outlets, which featured him in a series of reports. Cyberbuck’s board asked Mazzamuto to resign this week after receiving calls from people who had seen the reports and were aware of his past, said Gary Koopman, Cyberbuck’s new chief executive. Koopman said that when Mazzamuto was hired he had cleared a background check by changing the spelling of his name. The company does better background checks now, he said. Mazzamuto couldn’t be reached for comment. Cyberbuck hopes to start a Web site this summer offering consumers prepaid cards that they can use to buy items online without disclosing personal information.