Officers behind junk fax scam are sentenced

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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- The president of a Florida consulting firm was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison for his role in defrauding thousands of small business owners in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Richard Hagan, chief executive of the Melbourne, Fla.-based PBS Global Inc., blinked back tears Friday after his sentencing in a massive junk fax scam. He was sentenced for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering and ordered to repay more than $1.02 million in restitution and forfeit a similar amount in assets.

Sales manager John Persaud, of Boca Raton, Fla., was sentenced to seven years and six months. He was ordered to make restitution of more than $4.04 million and forfeit more than $3.07 million in assets.