CHICAGO (Diya TV) – Michael Persaud, a 36-year-old man from Scottsdale, Ariz., has been indicted on federal fraud charges for allegedly sending more than a million spam emails.
He’s charged with 10 counts of wire fraud, the indictment also seeks the forfeiture of four computers, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office. The indictment was returned Dec. 9, 2016, and was unsealed after Persaud was arrested last month in Arizona.
Between 2012 and 2015, Persaud used multiple IP addresses and domains to send spam emails over at least nine networks, including several servers in Chicago, according to the indictment. He sent more than a million spam emails to people in the U.S. and around the globe, using false names to register domains and creating fraudulent “from address” fields to conceal the fact that he was the one sending the emails.
He operated a California company named Impact Media LLC, as well as several other aliases, including “Michael Prescott,” “Michael Pearson” and “Jeff Martinez,” to send spam on behalf of “sellers of various goods and services,” prosecutors said. He earned a commission for each sale generated by the emails.
He gained access to multiple networks by claiming that he would comply with their policies, which prohibit spamming, prosecutors said. When some networks began canceling his lease and denying him access, Persaud would use fraudulent documents and debit cards under his aliases to contract other networks.
Persaud was arraigned on wire fraud charges Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan E. Cox in Chicago, the U.S. attorney’s office said. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Persaud pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance. He is prohibited from leaving Arizona while out on bond except to make court appearances in Chicago. His next court date is scheduled for Feb. 21.
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