Two Convicted in Dallas Telecommunications Fraud

A federal jury in Dallas has convicted two men in a $20 million telecommunications scam in which homeless people were paid for use of their identities.

Prosecutors say Nathan Todd Shafer of Irving and Matthew Norman Simpson of Red Oak were convicted Thursday of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud. Simpson was also convicted of email-related fraud, obstruction-destruction of evidence and false registration of a domain name.

Prosecutors say the names of some homeless people were listed as officers, directors and managers of bogus companies, to defraud telecommunications firms of goods and services.

A dozen other people have pleaded guilty since 2009, when Simpson's home and business were raided.

Sentencing has been set for March 23. The conspiracy and obstruction-destruction of evidence counts carry maximum 20-year prison terms.