Nine people were sentenced Thursday to serve federal prison time and pay restitution for a bogus lottery scam that targeted elderly victims across the country, according to the U.S. Attorney for South Carolina Bill Nettles.
In the scam, the victims would be notified that they had won a lottery or sweepstakes, but needed to pay fees or taxes in advance to receive their winnings, according to federal officials.
There were 18 people indicted in the case and three others were sentenced previously.
U.S. District Judge R. Bryan Harwell, of Florence, citing the devastating impact on the more than 150 victims of the scam, sentenced the following people to the prison terms:
- LeGrant Allen, 30, of Charlotte, N.C., 15 months in prison
- Wayne Duffus, 30, of Little River, 156 months in prison
- Jaclyn Freeman, 24, of Little River, six months in prison plus six months home detention
- Kimesha Lewis, 28, of Wilkesboro, N.C., five months in prison plus five months home detention
- Damion McLeish, 34, of North Myrtle Beach, 15 months in prison
- Denisha Robinson, 27, of Little River, 21 months in prison
- Lorenzo Samuels, 28, of Riverdale, Ga., 24 months in prison
- Johnte Vereen, 32, of Conway, 19 months in prison
- Cameo West, 27, of Little River, five months in prison plus five months home detention
Each of the defendants also was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $839,827.
HAHAHA Serves you right,low down dirty sobs.
Charities scam people out of their money, but guvnant allows it
Good! I wish some of them had gotten more time but this is better than just a slap on the wrist.
Looks like Doofus- sorry Duffus was the Mastermind of this whole operation.
When you pay your taxes on April 15,2015 you can thank these "Law Enforcement" officials i.e. U.S. District Judges, U.S. Attorneys , Postal Inspectors , and many more for doing there job. Often they are not thanked or recognized for protecting us. I am also sure the FBI was involved because they crossed State lines.
The gavel of justice.
why did the females all get lighter sentences?
I think that there is a double standard in our Justice Department.
... Because a Woman can also get away with carrying a whip & pushing her stiletto heels into your chest and look good doing it, that's why..
This is why I support state lotteries. If people can't play legal lotteries, or it is hard for them to do so, illegal scams will fill void. The lesson for all state lotteries is, make it easy for people to play or subscribe to their state lotteries. Hopefully they will learn the lesson.
These scams are not just about winning a phoney lottery. A friend told me today about an email she got wanting her to help someone distribute $12 million to charities.
I wonder if it's from one of the people in story trying to raise funds to pay their restitution?
You Know Why...
If You Don't...
Read This: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/11/men-women-prison-sentence-length-gender-gap_n_1874742.html?
This is good, but I doubt many victims will ever see the $839,827. Unfortunately, there are thousands more being scammed like this every day. Talk to your elderly relatives so they don't become victimized also. The elderly fall for this because they believe they won, and want to use the money to help their children, grandchildren etc.
Good deal. They got what they deserved
Sc*mbags... may they all rot in hell.
I've always wanted to receive on of those calls saying I won and need to wire money to collect.
SOME IOWA lottery officials need to join them in prison. they changed the winning number today on the pic 3
I saw that too. Is the winning number 600 or 900?
How is this a lesson for the state lotteries? South Carolina does have a state lottery I am sure it is very easy to buy a lottery ticket. These people are just dirty, rotten, scoundrels that prey on the elderly, it makes no difference if there is a state lottery or not.
I still don,t understand why some people fall for this one. If someone calls an say I won some money knowing I never entered or bought some kind of ticket,take ur fees out of my winnings,an send me the balance.If they can,t do that its a scam.NO BRAINER.