https://www.bigrapidsnews.com/news/article/portage-fraud-conviction-19569645.php

A Portage man is now facing up to 30 years in prison after a jury convicted him on several counts of fraud and money laundering.

In an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, Irfran Gill, 62, was convicted on 7 counts of mail fraud and 11 counts of money laundering after claiming to operate several businesses.

The businesses went by the names of Cable Upgrade; D Network; D Tech; Direct Network; Dish; Dish Upgrade; and Sky Satellite.

“Telephone solicitors at a call center in Pakistan cold-called victims with offers of equipment upgrades, software upgrades, and subscription discounts for their cable television, satellite television, and internet services,” the announcement reads. “While the businesses did not actually provide any of those services, callers instructed victims to send payments to Gill’s post office boxes in Portage.”

Gill deposited payments from his victims in his bank accounts and tracked their payments and used Remitly and Western Union money transfer services to pay a portion of the money to solicitors in Pakistan.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Gill’s scheme victimized more than 1,400 people nationwide.

“Mr. Gill ran a multi-year, international telemarketing scam targeting American citizens,” U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said in a statement. “Today’s conviction secures a measure of justice for his unsuspecting victims. Fighting elder fraud and abuse is a priority for my Office and we will continue to hold perpetrators accountable, whether here in the U.S. or abroad.”

Gill also faces up to 20 years in prison for the money laundering charges in the indictment. The date of sentencing has not yet been scheduled.