Sanjay Ashani Williams, a resident of Montego Bay, Jamaica, has been found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud or mail fraud, conspiracy to commit international money laundering, and 45 counts of wire fraud. The verdict was handed down after a six-and-a-half-day jury trial in federal court in Bismarck, North Dakota.
According to the investigation, Williams sold ‘lead lists’ to Jamaican lottery fraud scammers, providing them with the names, telephone numbers, and personal information of potential victims. The scammers would then contact the victims by telephone or mail, falsely telling them they had won a large sweepstakes prize. Williams and his co-conspirators deliberately targeted victims over the age of 55.
The scammers would instruct the victims to send money to pay non-existent taxes, fees, insurance, and other costs. After the ‘fees’ were paid, the victims were required to send more and more money, only to discover that the prize was fake and the money was gone. In this case alone, over 70 victims were identified, with reported losses totaling over $5 million.
Williams’ co-conspirators would frequently impersonate trusted institutions, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bank of America, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and state government agencies. They would send official-looking, but fake, documents on letterhead to victims and use official-looking email addresses and telephone numbers to make the scam more convincing.
Williams is the first person to be prosecuted and convicted in either the United States or Jamaica for selling lead lists to be used in the Jamaican lottery fraud. He faces up to 40 years in prison, millions of dollars in fines, restitution, and criminal forfeiture. A sentencing hearing and forfeiture hearing have been set for August 6, 2015.
The case was investigated by the North Dakota office of the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Florida, with assistance from many other federal and state law enforcement agencies. Corporal Kevin Watson of the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA), Lottery Scam Task Force in Jamaica, testified as an expert witness.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clare Hochhalter, Nick Chase, and Patrick Thomas, along with Trial Attorney Lorinda Laryea, prosecuted the case.
Related Federal Cases
- Melinda Bulgin, International Lottery Fraud Scheme, North Dakota 2023 · Florida
- Tyrice Excell Akins, Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking, North Dakota 2016 · Florida
- Joel Alejandro Quinonez, Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, North Dakota 2022 · Florida
- Benedict T Palen Jr, Mail Fraud, Colorado 2017 · Florida
- Ladd Clayton Atkins, Health Care Fraud, Oklahoma 2025 · Illinois
Key Facts
- State: North Dakota
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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