A 25-year-old Jamaican national and former Southern University student athlete, ALEX SAUNDERS, was sentenced today for running a ruthless lottery scam that preyed on elderly victims and individuals with diminished capacity across the United States. The scheme, which stretched from August 2013 through December 2015, used deception and high-pressure tactics to steal tens of thousands of dollars from vulnerable Americans.
According to court documents, SAUNDERS and a network of co-conspirators used Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to cold-call victims, falsely informing them they had won large sums in a lottery. To claim their non-existent winnings, victims were told they needed to pay upfront fees via cash, check, wire transfers, or other methods. These calls were not just cold—they were calculated, relentless, and designed to exploit fear and confusion.
Once victims sent money through the U.S. mail, private carriers, or electronic transfers, SAUNDERS and his associates quickly moved the stolen funds. With full knowledge that the money was obtained through fraud, they funneled it into bank accounts in Jamaica, effectively laundering the proceeds of their crime across international lines. The damage was widespread, leaving seniors financially gutted and emotionally shattered.
SAUNDERS was ultimately sentenced to 5 years probation and ordered to pay $56,300 in restitution—a sum that barely scratches the surface of the harm he caused. While no prison term was imposed, federal prosecutors emphasized that the case sends a clear message: targeting the elderly with fraudulent schemes will not go unpunished, regardless of where the perpetrators operate from.
The investigation was a joint effort by the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, United States Secret Service, and the Department of Homeland Security. Their collaboration dismantled a transnational fraud ring that used modern technology to exploit outdated trust. U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser credited the agencies for cutting through the digital smoke and holding SAUNDERS accountable.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharan E. Lieberman handled the prosecution. As the ranks of elderly Americans grow, so too do the predators who target them. This case stands as a stark reminder: fraud doesn’t need a mask. Sometimes, it just needs a phone line and a lie.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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