24 people have now been sentenced in India-based phone-scam case

Enlarge / A sign identifies the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) building in Washington, DC, on Friday, May 7, 2010. (credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

A total of 24 people who pleaded guilty to their involvement in a massive years-long phone scam often involving fake Internal Revenue Service and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services officials have now been given prison sentences from four to 20 years.

The indictment was originally filed in October 2016 against 61 people and includes charges of conspiracy to commit identity theft, impersonation of an officer of the United States, wire fraud, and money laundering.

If victims didn't pay up, callers threatened arrest, deportation, or heavier fines. There were also related scams involving fake payday loans and bogus US government grants, according to the criminal complaint.

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