Jamaican Man Extradited to US Over Lottery Scamming

Jamaica (February 10, 2023) — A Jamaican man has been extradited from Panama to the United States to face allegations of defrauding scores of senior citizens millions in a lottery scam.

Adrian Lawrence is facing a six-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, mail fraud, and wire fraud.

He is set to be arraigned today in federal court in New York.

Lawrence was detained last month in Panama and extradited to America on February 8, at the request of US authorities.

As set forth in the indictment and court filings, it is alleged that between October 2013 and April 2020, Lawrence, also known as ‘Mastermind’, and his co-conspirators carried out a scheme via telephone and email to defraud elderly US citizens by falsely telling them that they had won certain sweepstakes contests.

Lawrence allegedly also told the individuals that in order to facilitate the release of their sweepstakes prizes, they first needed to wire-transfer money to various bank accounts that he had his co-conspirators established at bank branches in the US and to mail cheques and cash to Lawrence’s co-conspirators throughout the US, in order to pay for purported fees.

In reality, Lawrence knew that these persons owed no fees and had won no sweepstakes prizes, it is being alleged.

Lawrence reportedly used a variety of aliases, email addresses, and phone numbers to perpetrate the scheme.

At least 50 people, whose average age was 81 years old, sent more than US$5.6 million to Lawrence and his co-conspirators, according to the US authorities.

If convicted, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.

SOURCE: The Gleaner.