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Con who helped in Google Canadian probe sentenced
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The Associated Press
A career con artist who helped with the U.S. criminal investigation into Google’s promotion of illegal Canadian pharmacies to Americans has been sentenced for his role in a multi-million dollar fraud scheme.
A federal court in Providence, Rhode Island, Friday sentenced David Whitaker to nearly six years for his role in a scam in the mid-2000s.
Authorities said he bilked between $8.7 million and $22.6 million US from small businesses and a credit card company. He already has served nearly four years awaiting trial.
Whitaker was also ordered to pay more than $10 million in restitution.
Prosecutors had promised to recommend a lesser sentence after Whitaker played a role in the investigation that resulted in Google Inc. forfeiting $500 million in August.
Authorities say Whitaker helped expose how Google's automated ad system known as AdWords was exploited to promote the sales by online, Canadian-based pharmacies to American customers, which the U.S. has declared to be illegal.
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