GRAND RAPIDS (WWJ) A West Michigan man was sentenced to eight years in prison for an international telemarketing scheme that scammed primarily elderly people nationwide out of more than half a million dollars combined.
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan—Mark Totten—said Irfan Gill, 63 of Portage, was sentenced on mail fraud and money laundering. Gill was also ordered to pay $591,980.27 in restitution to victims of the case.
According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice; the trial evidence suggested that Gill worked with a call center in Pakistan between “at least” June 2018 and March 2022 that swindled over 1,500 people into paying a total of $560,000 combined for cable and satellite television upgrades and subscription discounts they never received.
Callers in Pakistan persuaded callers to mail checks and money orders to post office boxes in Portage. In some cases, they threatened to cut off the victims’ television services if they did not comply, according to prosecutors.