Swindler who helped Google probe gets 6 years

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island — A career con artist who helped with a criminal investigation that led to Google Inc forfeiting $500 million was sentenced yesterday to nearly six years in prison for his role in a multimillion dollar fraud scheme targeting 83 customers and a credit card processing company. David Whitaker’s cooperation with the Google investigation was called extraordinary several times during his sentencing in US District Court in Providence. Assistant US Attorney Andrew Reich said that because of the probe, millions of Americans have been protected from rogue online Canadian pharmacies advertising prescription drugs through Google’s AdWords programme.

Google forfeited the $500 million to avoid criminal prosecution for accusations it improperly profited from ads placed by the pharmacies. Whitaker, a 36-year-old Virginia resident who has been jailed since 2008, said before sentencing that the probe changed his life. He said he learned honesty, integrity and how to be a better person from investigators on the case. He said he also shed his misconception that he was a victim.

AP