Tristan Fisher, a Jamaican national accused of fleecing at least 80 elderly Americans out of millions in a transnational lottery scam, was arrested December 2, 2016, in Trelawney Parish, Jamaica. Fisher is one of 15 defendants charged in the sprawling federal investigation dubbed ‘Operation Hard Copy,’ a wire and mail fraud conspiracy that has stretched from North Dakota to the Caribbean.
Fisher’s capture follows the March 30, 2016, arrests of Dario Palmer, Jason Jahalal, O’Neil Brown, Kazrae Gray, Alrick McLeod, Dahlia Hunter, and Kimberly Hudson. Xanu-Ann Morgan was taken into custody the next day, March 31, 2016. Lavrick Willocks, 27, was captured November 5, 2016, after being found hiding in a garden at a Kingston, Jamaica hotel. All 10 are now in custody in Jamaica, awaiting extradition following 14 warrants issued February 29, 2016.
Charges against Fisher, Willocks, and others include Conspiracy, Wire Fraud, and Money Laundering. U.S. Attorney Chris Myers, based in Bismarck, confirmed the arrests were the result of relentless coordination between U.S. and Jamaican law enforcement, including the U.S. Marshals Service and the Jamaica Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Fugitive Apprehension Team.
‘We’re grateful for the continuing efforts of the United States Marshals Service, the High Plains Fugitive Task Force, the Jamaican Fugitive Apprehension Team, and others,’ Myers said. ‘We look forward to bringing these 10 defendants, and others, to justice in the United States.’
U.S. Marshal Paul Ward emphasized the long arm of federal justice: ‘Finding federal fugitives and bringing them to justice is a big part of what we do. We’ll continue to do it, no matter how long it takes and no matter where fugitives may be found.’
The investigation, ongoing since 2012 in the District of North Dakota, has already yielded convictions. Sanjay Williams, 26, was convicted in 2015 after trial—the first Jamaican national tried and convicted in the U.S. for selling lead lists used in cyber-fraud. Evidence showed victims were targeted using personal data harvested through fake sweepstakes, sold for up to $5.50 per name. The fraud preyed on the elderly and vulnerable across the U.S., turning desperation into profit for a transnational criminal network.
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: North Dakota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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