Orlando, FL – In a brazen scheme that preyed on an elderly Virginia woman, two Florida residents have been charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud in a Jamaican lottery scam.
Yanique Chantel Coach (25, Orlando) and Dwayne Breary (31, Ft. Lauderdale) face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
According to a complaint filed in federal court, an 89-year-old woman in Virginia received phone calls from two individuals who claimed she had won $3.5 million from the Mega Millions Sweepstakes. The callers told the victim that her name had been entered into the lottery through a magazine subscription, but that she needed to pay fees and taxes before she could receive her winnings.
From October 31, 2014, through November 25, 2014, the victim complied with the directions from the Mega Millions Sweepstakes callers and mailed $282,600 in cash to various locations in Florida and Georgia. She concealed the money in magazines and cereal boxes.
After the large withdrawals of money, the victim’s family contacted the FBI. On March 6, 2015, the victim was instructed by the callers to send $150,000 to an apartment in Orlando. On March 19, 2015, FBI agents conducted a controlled delivery of a UPS package, appearing to be from the victim, to the apartment. Agents had determined the apartment belonged to Coach.
During surveillance, Breary signed for the package, using an alias, and accepted it. Agents then executed a search warrant and recovered the package from Coach’s bedroom. Further investigation revealed that Coach and Breary had accepted the previously sent packages by signing a fake name. An individual from Jamaica then travelled to Florida to retrieve the cash. Coach and Breary were paid for their part in the scheme by that individual, who then returned to Jamaica with the victim’s money.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James D. Mandolfo.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: White Collar Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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