DC pay phone owner gets 3 months in $4M fraud case

News: Page (1) of 1 - 01/04/12

DC pay phone owner gets 3 months in $4M fraud case Pay phone owner gets 3 months in $4M fraud that involved phantom calls from DC-area phones By The Associated Press

GREENBELT, Md. (AP) ' A Washington-area pay phone owner has been sentenced to three months in prison for rigging his phones to fraudulently ring up $4 million in fees.

Nicolaos Kantartzis was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty in September to using more than 100 pay phones to make phantom calls. Because the calls are free to legitimate users, the party getting the call pays costs that include a cut for the pay phone operator.

The 63-year-old defendant was paid each time his phones rang the numbers, even though most calls lasted only a few seconds. Authorities said his scheme spanned six years and some 8 million bogus calls.

Kantartzis' attorney says his client repaid the millions and forfeited his phones. The attorney says he plans to return to his native Greece after release.

Page: 1

Keywords:Pay Phone Scheme,Crime,Fraud and false statements,General news
Related Sites: Creative Mac , AEC Newsroom , Digital Webcast , Digital Producer , Hollywood Industry , Media Workstation , Digital CAD , Digital Animators , Animation Artist , Siggraph News , Audio Video Producer , BN - Broadcast Newsroom , Corporate Media News , Digital Game Developer , Digital Media Designer , MacAnimationPro , Digital Post Production , DVD Creation , DV Format , Film Imaging , HD Issues , Presentation Master , Oceania , MacDVDPro , MacVideoPro , MacAudioPro , MacDesignPro , After Effects , CEN - Consumer Electronics Net , PhotoShop , Final Cut Pro , Illustrator , Vegas , Premiere , Digital Intermediates , CEN - Camcorders , CEN - AV Software , CEN - Desktops , CEN - Audio , CEN - DVD , CEN - Gadgets , CEN - Games , Maxon , Storage , DVD Studio Pro , Flash , IBN - Storage , Motion , IBN - Business , IBN - Enterprise Applications , IBN - Hardware , IBN - Networking , IBN - Internet , IBN - ProductivityApps , IBN - Security , IBN - SoftwareDev , BN - NAB , BN - Webcast , BN - HD , BN - DTV , BN - IBC , BN - Production , BN - Avid , BN - Acquistion , BN - Radio , BN - Storage , BN - Harris , BN - Panasonic , BN - JVC , BN - Quantel , BN - Grass Valley , BN - Hardware , BN - Software , BN - Facilities , BN - People , BN - Canon , BN - Sony , BN - Miranda , USDailyNews , BN - Sports , BN - Religious , BN - Encoding , HTN - Health Technology Net
Related Newsletter: DMN Newsletter , CMN Newsletter , Timeline Newsletter , CADList Newsletter , Pixels Newsletter , Levels Newsletter , Loud Newsletter , Renders , Streamline Newsletter , KNews Newsletter , Digital Media Net , DVD Viewpoint , BN - HD Weekly , DMNForums , CEN - Gadgets Newsletter , Tutorial Finder , Review Seeker , IBN - IT Weekly Newsletter