US Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak has said that they will prosecute companies and individuals who chose to defraud vulnerable victims. He made this statement after the judgement of six months to four years was pronounced on eight defendants for their roles in over $3.7 million Indian-based call center scandal. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, J. Russell George said it is a crime to victimise taxpayers through impersonation of Internal Revenue Service employees. Investigations revealed that through a collection of data from brokers and other sources, potential victims were called by call center operators impersonating Internal Revenue Service employees and threatened to pay certain taxes or fines to government or risk arrest, imprisonment or fines. Any potential victims that agreed to pay would them make payment through MoneyGram, Western Union, wire transfer or through the purchase of prepaid debit cards to the attention of ghost names and US-based defendants and their accomplices. Among the eight sentenced are Mohamed Kazim Momin, 33, of Norcross, Georgia who was sentenced four years and nine months, Rodrigo Leon-Castillo, 46 of Katty, Texas sentenced to four years and three months, Mohmed Sozab Momin, 23, of Georgia, sentenced to two years and six months, Drue Kyle Riggins, 24, of Georgia sentenced to one year and one month. Others include Nicholas Alexander Deane, 26, of Georgia sentenced to one year and one day, Palak Kumar Patel, 30, of Georgia sentenced to ten months, Jantz Parrish Miller, 26, of Georgia sentenced to eight months and lastly Devin Bradford Pope, 25, of Georgia sentenced to six months and three days. Also charged alongside these five we’re five Indian call centers and seven Indian nationals in a 27-count indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering as the government seeks extradition of the Indian nationals.
