Jeragh Powell, a 26-year-old Jamaican national and former Schenectady, New York resident, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for orchestrating a ruthless lottery scam that preyed on elderly Americans. U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino handed down the sentence today in Albany, marking the end of a cross-border fraud operation that exploited trust and desperation for financial gain.
Powell admitted guilt on August 1, 2016, confessing to partnering with his wife, Kimberly Powell, 37, of Schenectady, and others to mail fake lottery prize notifications to senior citizens across the United States. The letters, designed to mimic official lottery announcements, claimed victims had won cash prizes and luxury vehicles—but demanded tens of thousands of dollars in advance fees, taxes, and shipping costs before any prize would be released.
Working in tandem with conspirators based in Jamaica, Powell and his co-defendants used emotional manipulation and persistent phone calls to pressure victims into sending money. Payments were funneled through U.S.-based contacts, masking the scam’s international reach. The operation was built on lies, urgency, and the isolation often experienced by elderly targets.
The scheme netted more than $65,000 from vulnerable victims. Jeragh Powell and Kimberly Powell received the bulk of the illicit funds in Schenectady before forwarding significant portions to associates in Jamaica. The flow of cash followed a well-worn path of transnational fraud, leveraging postal services and telecommunications to evade detection.
Kimberly Powell pleaded guilty to mail fraud charges on August 3, 2016, and awaits sentencing on February 23, 2017. Her role underscores the domestic infrastructure that enables overseas fraud rings to operate with relative impunity. Authorities say her cooperation may influence her final sentence, but the damage to victims remains irreversible.
The case was jointly investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Schenectady Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Coffman prosecuted. U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and USPIS Inspector in Charge Shelly A. Binkowski emphasized that scams targeting seniors will be met with federal force—no matter where the perpetrators hide.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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