Newark, N.J. – Ricardo Reid, a resident of Jamaica, has confessed to orchestrating a massive lottery fraud scheme against elderly U.S. citizens, according to U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman.
Reid, 31, faced Judge Susan D. Wigenton in federal court, where he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
The Jamaican scammer operated from 2011 to 2016, purchasing mailing lists with personal information of the elderly. He then contacted them, falsely informing them they had won millions in lotteries. Reid told his victims that redemption fees were required for their fictitious winnings, often posing as U.S. officials or bank representatives.
Reid employed aliases such as ‘Robert Gates’ and ‘Mr. Bogohazian’ to mask his identity, using call forwarding and VoIP services to conceal his location.
Punishment for the conspiracy charge includes a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for February 27, 2017.
The investigation was conducted by special agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and inspectors from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lorraine S. Gerson of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark. Reid’s defense counsel is K. Anthony Thomas Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark.
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Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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