HARTFORD, CT – Darrik Forsythe, an inmate at Lawton Correctional Facility in Oklahoma, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison on March 13, 2017, for his role in a ruthless phone fraud and extortion scheme that targeted a Connecticut man, ultimately leading to the victim’s suicide. U.S. District Judge Robert Chatigny handed down the sentence, followed by three years of supervised release and a full restitution order.
Between February and October 2011, Forsythe, along with at least three other incarcerated accomplices, used smuggled cell phones to prey on vulnerable individuals. The scheme involved befriending gay men through phone-based chat lines, specifically Megamates, under the guise of a romantic connection. The victim, a Connecticut resident, established a rapport with an individual identifying as “Joe.” Soon after, the calls demanding money began.
The perpetrators quickly escalated from friendly conversation to blatant threats. They threatened to expose the victim’s sexual orientation and inflict physical harm on him or his family if he didn’t comply with their demands. Initially, the requests were for small amounts of cash, but rapidly increased to prepaid debit card numbers and sums ranging from several hundred dollars to over $5,000 – multiple times per week. The operation was meticulously designed to bleed the victim dry.
The relentless extortion continued until the victim had depleted his family’s $670,000 inheritance, of which he was the custodian. The financial ruin and emotional trauma proved too much to bear; the victim tragically took his own life in 2014. The U.S. Secret Service, New Haven Resident Office, spearheaded the investigation, with crucial support from the Secret Service Oklahoma Field Office, the FBI, and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
Forsythe is already serving a twenty-year sentence for a prior robbery conviction dating back to 2002. This 46-month federal sentence will run consecutively to his existing state sentence, meaning he’ll be adding significant time to his already lengthy incarceration. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut prosecuted the case, with assistance from their counterparts in the Western District of Oklahoma.
The case highlights the disturbing reality of criminal activity flourishing within prison walls and the devastating consequences that can ripple outwards. While behind bars for one crime, Forsythe masterminded a sophisticated fraud that destroyed a man’s life. The Secret Service’s successful conclusion of this case sends a clear message: criminals will be held accountable, even when operating from behind prison bars.
Related Federal Cases
- Darrick Forsythe, Phone Fraud and Extortion, Oklahoma 2014 · Connecticut
- Elizabeth Batten, Mail Fraud, Texas 2023 · Texas
- Christopher Adam Jensen-Tanner Sentenced for Wire Fraud, Roswell NM, 2024 · New Mexico
- 23andMe, Data Auction Without Consent, New York NY, 2023 · Kentucky
- Live Nation, Antitrust Lawsuit, New York NY, 2024 · Oregon
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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