Before the scareware came the fake Symantec software. Prosecutors allege that in 2003 and 2004, Jain operated a handful of Web sites -- Discountbob.com, shopenter.com, winantivirus.com and others -- that all sold fake Symantec products.

Jain allegedly drummed up new business by spamming victims or using pop-up ads to flog the fake software, which was then mailed out by someone identified in court documents as "J.R." of Amelia, Ohio -- presumably James Reno.

In a September 2009 , Reno said he was a young and naïve businessmen who was taken advantage of by Innovative Marketing. "I made some mistakes, of course," he said, "however they kept us in the dark on a lot of their operation."

Profits from the businesses -- which took in more than $100 million from victims in 60 countries -- were funneled offshore, prosecutors say.

That estimate is probably on the low side, said Joseph Bochner, an attorney who brought a against Jain and his business partners in 2006.