Jamaican Man Corey Buddle Pleads Guilty to Elder Fraud Scheme

Corey Buddle, a 25-year-old Brooklyn man with ties to Jamaica, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, admitting his role in a ruthless scam that preyed on elderly Americans desperate for financial relief. Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. confirmed the plea, entered before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara in Buffalo, N.Y. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

Buddle, working alongside co-conspirators in Jamaica, orchestrated a series of cold, manipulative calls convincing seniors they had won lottery prizes exceeding $1,000,000—sometimes even promising a Mercedes Benz. The catch? Victims had to pay upfront “taxes” and “fees” to claim their non-existent windfalls. None of the prize money was real. All of the victims were left financially gutted and emotionally shattered.

One elderly man from the Rochester, NY area was tricked into sending $130,000 in cash through 16 separate UPS and U.S. Mail packages to Buddle’s Brooklyn address between May 20 and July 18, 2011. Each call deepened the lie, with scammers insisting more payments were needed to release the phantom prize. The man emptied his savings, trusting false promises delivered with chilling calm over the phone.

A Missouri woman, also elderly, wired approximately $140,000 into Buddle’s Bank of America accounts across 26 transactions from July 11, 2012, to April 4, 2013. After that, the demands turned physical—she mailed over $50,000 in cash through 10 UPS and FedEx packages directly to his home. Investigators confirmed some of the stolen funds were withdrawn in Jamaica, pointing to an international fraud ring operating with precision.

A third victim, an elderly Florida resident, lost $37,000 in nine wire transfers between August 2, 2012, and April 4, 2013. In a particularly brazen twist, he received a forged letter claiming to be from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, accusing him of owing $25,000 in back taxes. The letter was part of the scam—a psychological trap to make him believe compliance was legally necessary.

The takedown was led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under Inspector-in-Charge Shelly Binkowski of the Boston Division, and Homeland Security Investigations, directed by Special Agent-in-Charge James C. Spero. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott S. Allen, Jr. is prosecuting the case. Sentencing is scheduled for March 17, 2017, at 12:30 p.m. before Judge Arcara. Buddle’s betrayal of trust didn’t just break laws—it shattered lives.