FARGO, N.D. — A prominent Jamaican disc jockey charged for his role in a lottery scam targeting older people in the Dakotas and elsewhere is scheduled to plead guilty.
Deon-ville O'Hara, also known as ZJ Wah Wa, is among 26 people who were indicted by a federal grand jury in North Dakota, where the investigation is centered. He is charged with three counts, including conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering.
A plea agreement filed last month calls for O'Hara to plead guilty to conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. A hearing is scheduled for Oct. 24 in Bismarck.
Steven Mottinger, O'Hara's attorney, declined to comment.
U.S. Attorney Timothy Purdon would not comment specifically, but said people should be on guard and discuss possible scams with family members.
"I cannot say this too many times or loudly enough, if you get a phone call telling you that you won a lottery you didn't enter, hang up, hang up, hang up," Purdon said. "It's a scam."
The original indictment listed among the victims an 83-year-old North Dakota woman who sent seven separate checks for a total of nearly $158,000 after she was promised $19 million in winnings. Authorities say she was talked into emptying her savings account and taking out a loan on a life insurance policy.
Other victims included a South Dakota man who sent a $14,000 cashier's check after he was promised $3.5 million and a 2012 Mercedes, and a 92-year-old man from Charleston, South Carolina, who mailed an $80,000 cashier's check to one of the defendants, court documents show.
Seven people have pleaded guilty in the case and are scheduled for sentencing in March 2015.
Jamaican lottery schemes have been happening for many years. The Jamaica and U.S. governments set up a task force in 2009 to stop the scams, but the problem has gotten worse, Purdon said.
So what you are telling me is I should ignore that e-mail from Jamaica? OK, I'll do that. But those from Kenya are still good, right?
lol!
Of all places, the indictment took place in Fargo, ND. Loved that movie.
It just shows how elderly people can work hard for their savings and lose it overnight.
Indeed!!!!!!!
Get em' all the time, just pop em' in the delete bin & go on.
It's good that the scam artists got charged but what about the greedy people who believe that they have won a lottery they never played? should their greed go uncorrected?
Please don't blame the victims, they targeted elderly people for a reason.
I just shake my head at this.
Quote from Lottery Post News article:
Jamaican lottery schemes have been happening for years>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!!!!!!
"The Jamaica and U.S. governments set-up a task force in 2009 to stop the scams, BUT the problem has now
gotten WORSE">>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!!!!!!
Note:
As a kid growing up on the planet Pluto, Psyko was taught that the kids on planet America was protected by
the U.S. government and the policeman and policewomen on their earth>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!!!!!!
Question???:
HOW could a problem git WORSE if the U.S. government has set-up a government
TASK FORCE in 2009 to STOP the SCAM$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!!!!
I just think there are victims who deserve protection by tax payers. For example the victims of Target credit card breach are victims. Ditto the victims of Home Depot credit card breach.
It got worse because some people want to believe so bad that they don't think straight when they get those e-mails. It's sad. But as sad as it is, I think the victims should know better.