Over half a million dollars later, fraudsters are finally caught
By Kate Northrop
Two lottery scammers who defrauded elderly victims of $700,000 will be spending time behind bars in federal prison, Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus announced.
Jason Wedderburn, 41, and Kayan Kitson, 38, were each sentenced to two to three years in federal prison along with 3 years of federal supervised release after netting over half a million dollars from senior citizens in several states including Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
The United States Postal Inspection Service launched an investigation in May 2018, which revealed that the two Jamaican nationals worked together with co-conspirators in both Jamaica and the United States to defraud unsuspecting victims in a lottery scam.
Court proceedings detailed how Wedderburn operated at least four bank accounts that housed the funds stolen from victims, whereas Kitson opened at least one for the same reason. Once funds entered those accounts, scammers in the fraud ring would withdraw cash or transfer the money to other accounts controlled by the group.
In classic lottery scam fashion, the fraudsters would contact individuals claiming that they won a huge lottery prize but would have to pay pre-taxes or fees to collect the nonexistent winnings. Victims who fell prey to the trap reportedly sent over tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time to the scammers who portrayed themselves as lottery officials.
Just one victim from Massachusetts netted the criminals nearly half of the total stolen funds, transferring a mindboggling $325,000 to the fraudsters. In total, they defrauded individuals of over $700,000.
As expected, the victims would not get any of the lottery winnings they were promised. However, Wedderburn and Kitson were arrested in Florida in August 2020 and have been detained since.
In July, they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in U.S. District Court in Providence.
U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy sentenced Wedderburn to 36 months in federal prison, while Kitson was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison on Oct. 12. Both will also undergo 3 years of federal supervised release.
In August, another Jamaican scammer was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison after defrauding one single elderly woman of nearly $1 million.
If you are contacted by someone claiming that you have won a big lottery prize, know that it is impossible to win a lottery or contest that you never entered, nor will a true winner ever be asked to pay a sum of money prior to receiving a prize.
If you received a message, another way to figure out if you're being scammed is to take a close look at the note for misspelled words, inaccurate logos, or poor grammar. Website USA Mega has a lottery scams page illustrating several actual scam letters that have circulated.
So sad and nothing about restitution to these vulnerable seniors.
Don't know the USC for these types of crimes, wish they got longer than three years. At least they'll have convicted felons after their names, not that they'd care.
I feel bad for the scammers
whoopie. big deal. a few or couple short comfy-cozy-cell wit' great commissary and tons of personal ad for inmates now a days emails incoming/outgoing to cable and air conditioner service, to tons of calls and visits, heck, they can even marry in prison state/federal i think both,so this is not a punishment,
and exactly why the criminal(s) do things like this, it's worth it $$$
smh
this is not a punishment.
This Judge has to be a democratic pansy. This is not punishment for these two, it's more like a slap on the wrist.
He is not folloowing the Law, he's making his own. What restitution does the senior citizens get? Nothing! Just makes you sick the
way judges are only one sided.
I agree, 2 -3 years is nowhere near enough time for their crimes. I would think they will have to pay back the people they scammed. I sure hope so.
Let's leave politics out of it, Judges are non-partisan. Still serving on Jury duty for about 8 months now and have learned a lot about the judicial system.
Fun fact: U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy that sentenced Wedderburn to 36 months in federal prison was nominated by Trump.
Someone said that those who stormed the Capitol were also called " first responders." They responded to the call from the Commander in Chief to " go to the Capitol."
"Judges are non-partisan"
You obviously didn't watch the Rittenhouse trial...Judges may be non-partisan, but some sure are biased az Hell...Nazis, Skinheads, & the KKK?, don't wear white robes and hoods anymore,.. They've exchanged them for Black robes & Gavels..Suit & Tie Senators and Congressmen..!! Police uniforms...
I guess I'll go rob 6 banks, if I'm caught, I'll plea bargain to have 1 felony charge DROPPED waaaay before I go to trial..So, I'll only be charged with 5 felonies..and make sure my jurors consist of the Mafia GodFathers..
l should be found "Not Guilty"..because the Banks charged me tooo much for my account feez.. which forced me to defend myself..!!..
"... and have learned a lot about the judicial system."
Even those who only learned from watching Law and Order should know that it's not always the judges that determine the sentence. These guys weren't convicted after a trial, so it's a virtual certainty that any leeway the judge had was significantly reduced by an offer made by the prosecution to get them to plead guilty.
Yes I watched some of the Rittenhouse travesty. Yes, judges are biased. Look at the same type of thing in NY same week. Rich parents teen rapes four girls and gets off scot free with eight years probation. The Prosecutor said 'white rich privilege' or words to that effect.
As for Rittenhouse being retired health care worker good luck getting into Nursing school. Perhaps he can do it on-line except for clinicals. His face, SSAN and name will follow him the rest of his life and not in a positive way--good. Karma is a b----h. He can rot in Momma's basement for all I care.
Some of our cases end up going to the Feds, who for the most part, do not play, though lately there have been many, many lenient sentences that made the media.
Welp, I guess honesty is the best policy.