New Orleans resident scammed seniors via bogus lottery, sweepstakes claims, prosecutors say
NOV 12, 2020 - 1:50 PM
A Jamaican national living in New Orleans was indicted in federal court in connection with an alleged scheme to trick senior citizens into sending money for phony lottery and contest winnings.
Acdane Campbell, 24, was charged Nov. 6 with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, according to U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser's office. The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations.
But before the victims could collect the bogus prizes, Campbell and company told them they'd have to fork over money for taxes and fees, according to prosecutors.
The victims mailed money to Campbell's Press Drive address in New Orleans, authorities said. They also sent cash electronically using services such as MoneyGram, Western Union and Walmart2Walmert.
Prosecutors identified eight victims between the ages of 68 and 85 in several states including Georgia, Nevada, California, Ohio, Texas, Arizona and Pennsylvania, authorities said.
While some of the victims were allegedly tricked into sending relatively small amounts of cash, between $100 to $400, others were bilked for much more.
An 84-year-old woman from Belleville, Penn., mailed Campbell $7,000 to cover the costs of taxes and fees after she was told that she'd won $3.5 million in the Publisher's Clearing House sweepstakes, authorities said.
A Spring, Texas, woman, 68, sent off $10,000 after she, too, was told she'd hit it big with a Publishers Clearing House jackpot, though authorities didn't disclose the amounts she'd been told she won.
Prosecutors allege that Campbell would either pocket the cash for himself or send it to unidentified people in Jamaica.
If convicted, Campbell faces a minimum sentence of five years in prison and at lease three years or supervised release. He could also be fined up to $250,000.
NOV 12, 2020 - 1:50 PM
A Jamaican national living in New Orleans was indicted in federal court in connection with an alleged scheme to trick senior citizens into sending money for phony lottery and contest winnings.
Acdane Campbell, 24, was charged Nov. 6 with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, according to U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser's office. The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations.
But before the victims could collect the bogus prizes, Campbell and company told them they'd have to fork over money for taxes and fees, according to prosecutors.
The victims mailed money to Campbell's Press Drive address in New Orleans, authorities said. They also sent cash electronically using services such as MoneyGram, Western Union and Walmart2Walmert.
Prosecutors identified eight victims between the ages of 68 and 85 in several states including Georgia, Nevada, California, Ohio, Texas, Arizona and Pennsylvania, authorities said.
While some of the victims were allegedly tricked into sending relatively small amounts of cash, between $100 to $400, others were bilked for much more.
An 84-year-old woman from Belleville, Penn., mailed Campbell $7,000 to cover the costs of taxes and fees after she was told that she'd won $3.5 million in the Publisher's Clearing House sweepstakes, authorities said.
A Spring, Texas, woman, 68, sent off $10,000 after she, too, was told she'd hit it big with a Publishers Clearing House jackpot, though authorities didn't disclose the amounts she'd been told she won.
Prosecutors allege that Campbell would either pocket the cash for himself or send it to unidentified people in Jamaica.
If convicted, Campbell faces a minimum sentence of five years in prison and at lease three years or supervised release. He could also be fined up to $250,000.