Five Jamaican citizens are among six individuals indicted in the United States in connection with an alleged multimillion-dollar sweepstakes fraud operation that prosecutors say primarily targeted elderly Americans.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, those charged are Andre-Jon Gayle, 33, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Aaliyah Mayne, 25, of Dania, Florida; Onaje Chevers, 29, of Dania, Florida; Matthew Hutchinson, 24, of Williamsburg, Virginia; and Courtney Reynolds, 31, of Miami, Florida. All five are Jamaican citizens.
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The sixth defendant, Roshaun Thompson, 24, of Fort Lauderdale, is a U.S. citizen.
Federal prosecutors allege that the group operated a fraudulent Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes scheme during 2022 that defrauded primarily elderly victims across the United States of millions of dollars.
Investigators say the defendants purchased lists containing the names of elderly individuals and falsely informed them they had won multimillion-dollar sweepstakes prizes. Victims were allegedly told they had to pay taxes or processing fees before receiving their winnings and were instructed to send cash, checks, and money orders to members of the conspiracy.
Authorities also allege that some victims were recruited into a so-called “sponsor programme,” in which they unknowingly forwarded money to other victims and members of the fraud ring after being falsely told the funds originated from previous sweepstakes winners.
In addition, prosecutors claim victims were persuaded to provide driver’s licences, banking information, and other personal details that were later used to make unauthorized purchases. Social Security benefits belonging to some victims were also allegedly diverted into Green Dot accounts controlled by members of the scheme.
A federal grand jury in New Haven, Connecticut, returned the indictment on June 2, charging all six defendants with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, five counts of mail fraud, four counts of wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Each charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years if convicted.
Authorities arrested Mayne, Chevers, and Reynolds on June 4, Thompson on June 5, Hutchinson on June 9, and Gayle on June 10.
Gayle, Hutchinson, Reynolds, and Thompson appeared before a federal court in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where they pleaded not guilty and were released on US$250,000 bonds. Mayne and Chevers remain in custody pending further court proceedings.
U.S. Attorney David X. Sullivan described the alleged operation as an organized scheme that “ruthlessly preyed upon the vulnerability of our elderly citizens to defraud them out of millions of dollars.”
He also reminded the public that legitimate sweepstakes organizations never require winners to pay taxes or fees upfront in order to claim prizes.
The case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from several other law enforcement agencies.
Federal prosecutors emphasized that the indictment contains allegations only, and that all six defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
