Twenty one people received jail terms for transnational telecom fraud Friday in Fujian Province.

Lai Shaojun and Lai Wenqing, who were accused of defrauding overseas Chinese in Australia and the U.S. and Taiwan compatriots, were sentenced to life imprisonment and fined 200,000 yuan (31,000 U.S. dollars) respectively.

Both of them were also deprived their political rights for life, according to the verdict issued by Zhangzhou Municipal Intermediate Court in the city of Zhangzhou.

Nineteen others, who were also involved in the transnational telecom-based swindling case, got sentences from 18 months to nine years.

The 21 convicted had been arrested in the cities of Zhangzhou and Xiamen from March to May 2010.