NORTH CAROLINA
A Jamaican, who was previously extradited to the U.S. from Jamaica, pleaded guilty in federal court in connection with a fraudulent Jamaica-based lottery scheme that targeted elderly victims in the United States, officials announced Friday.
According to court documents, Antony Linton Stewart, 39, of St. James Parish, Jamaica, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
As part of his plea agreement, Stewart admitted that he contacted elderly Americans by telephone and falsely told them that they had won money and other prizes in a sweepstakes or lottery. Stewart told victims that they needed to send money to pay fees and taxes on their winnings.
Stewart contacted victims repeatedly for as long as they could be persuaded to send additional money.
At Stewart’s direction, victims used wire transfers and the U.S. Postal Service, among other means, to send money to individuals in the United States and Jamaica who served as intermediaries and transmitted the money to Stewart.
In fact, no lottery ever existed, and no victim ever received any money or other prizes.
According to authorities, the scheme defrauded victims out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is committed to investigating those who use the U.S. Mail to commit fraud and target elderly and vulnerable American citizens both domestically and abroad,” said Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen of the USPIS Philadelphia Division. “Today’s plea exemplifies the unwavering efforts of Postal Inspectors in collaboration with our law enforcement partners – here in the United States and around the world – to bring these callous criminals to justice.”
The USPIS investigated the case.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Raquel Toledo and Trial Attorney Ryan E. Norman of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).