David Whitaker, 36, is awaiting sentencing on December 2 nd this year, a sentence that prosecutors have asked to be reduced to the lowest possible point thanks to the criminal’s part in a recent FBI investigation. Whitaker, having already served 3 prison sentences, was looking down the barrel of a possible 65-year sentence in Rhode Island when he scored this deal with authorities. The con artist had pleaded guilty in 2008 to ripping off anywhere form $8.7 to $22.6 million from small businesses and credit cards in the state. After creating a corporation known as Mixitforme, Inc. Whitaker would lure clients by claiming strong ties to overseas suppliers as well as being an authorized distributor for Apple, Motorola and Sony products. He would send photographs of inventory and fulfill small customer orders but as more money poured in, to the dismay of paying customers, Whitaker would squander the funds on luxury automobiles, private jet rides and limousine drivers.
Facing charges of wire fraud and conspiracy, among others, Whitaker seemingly had no other choice but to strike the plea deal of a lifetime with officials. He spent two years helping federal agents crackdown on Google, Inc’s involvement with illegal advertisements on their website. Whitaker partook in setting up phony websites in efforts to uncover operators exploiting Google’s advertisement program AdWords to market illegal Canadian pharmacies to American consumers. This past August, the company settled on paying out $500 million dollars for their knowing participation in the scam. Although Whitaker’s bankrupt victims are undoubtedly unpleased with this result, the millionaire con artist now awaits a lenient sentence for his slew of charges.