California man pleads guilty to $50M internet fraud scheme

The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that Allen Giltman of California has entered a guilty plea for his involvement in a widespread internet fraud scheme that enabled the exfiltration of nearly $50 million between 2012 and October 2020, BleepingComputer reports. At least 150 scam sites have been determined by law enforcement agencies, with almost $50 million exfiltrated from at least 70 victims, according to the Justice Department. Court documents revealed that Giltman and his co-conspirators have developed fraudulent websites promoting certificates of deposit and other investment opportunities, with the websites than advertised on Google and Microsoft Bing search results. The group also leveraged virtual private networks, prepaid gift cards, encrypted apps, and phony invoices to conceal their identity. Giltman will be imposed maximum penalties of 20 years and five year for the wire fraud conspiracy and securities fraud charges he admitted, respectively, while his sentencing will be on May 10.