Shaun Sullivan, Mail Fraud Conspiracy, New York 2024

LONG ISLAND, NY – Shaun Sullivan, a 37-year-old resident of Merrick, New York, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Central Islip to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, part of a massive scheme that bilked elderly and vulnerable victims out of over $30 million.

Sullivan admitted to sending fraudulent prize-promotion mailings, falsely promising recipients large cash prizes in exchange for minimal fees. Not a single victim who paid these fees received a substantial cash prize, as the scheme was nothing but a ploy to enrich Sullivan and his co-conspirators.

United States Attorney Richard P. Donoghue emphasized that protecting communities from such mass mailing fraud schemes is a top priority for his office and the Department of Justice. Assistant Attorney General Joseph H. Hunt echoed this sentiment, stating that exploiting elderly consumers is unacceptable and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division, highlighted the coordinated efforts of law enforcement in combating schemes aimed at vulnerable Americans. Sullivan and his co-defendant Tully Lovisa, who pleaded guilty last year, operated under aliases and straw owners to create a network designed to evade detection.

The scheme spanned from December 2010 to July 2016, during which time thousands of victims across the United States were targeted with fraudulent mailings. If sentenced as charged, Sullivan faces up to 20 years in prison, $550,000 in forfeiture, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense.

The case against Sullivan is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles P. Kelly and Trial Attorneys Daniel Zytnick and Timothy Finley of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch, with Assistant United States Attorney Tanisha R. Payne overseeing the forfeiture.

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