Baltimore, Maryland – Tavoy Farquharson, 32, made an initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on a criminal complaint filed in the District of Maryland, charging the defendant with conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with a lottery scheme.
The criminal complaint was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Javan Wilson of the U.S. Treasury, Office of Inspector General (Treasury OIG); and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to the complaint, from at least March 2023 through July 2023, Farquharson and his co-conspirators contacted the victims by mail or over the phone and convinced them that they had won millions of dollars in a lottery or sweepstakes but were required to send payment in advance for taxes and other fees before they could receive their winnings.
Farquharson and his co-conspirators caused the victims to send payments for the purported taxes and other fees through wire transfer, by gift card, by sending cash or checks through the U.S. Mail, by other interstate commercial carrier, and by other payment methods.
According to the complaint, the victims lost at least $9.5 million to the lottery scheme.
Wayne and Dwayne Henry of Landover Hills, Maryland, and Jamaican national Nickoy Campbell were charged previously with conspiracy to commit mail fraud as part of the same lottery scheme.
Farquharson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the mail fraud conspiracy if convicted.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcement’s efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults.
The National Elder Fraud Hotline is available to help victims of financial fraud. The hotline can be reached at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or by calling 1-800-225-5324.
Tavoy Farquharson, 32, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the mail fraud conspiracy.
Conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with a lottery scheme is a serious offense that can result in significant prison time.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Related Federal Cases
- Joya, Financial Scheme, Maryland 2024 · New York
- Dawn J. Bennett, $20M Ponzi Scheme, Maryland 2018 · Washington
- Dennis Jali, Ponzi Scheme, Maryland 2020 · Washington
- Richard Shusterman, Wire Fraud Conspiracy, Maryland 2024 · New York
- Neris Moreno-Martinez, Kidnapping Conspiracy, Maryland 2024 · New York
Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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