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.
just sad
that is how they fund their lives
LOL, maybe, not sure.
These scammers can be very convincing and they are relentless. Six or seven calls a day from several different phone numbers is not unusual. They will tell their victims they won a sweepstakes or a new car and will deliver the car to their house. A lot of the elderly people they target are people that may be showing the early stages of dementia and therefore either aren't thinking or reasoning clearly. They may not remember things and therefore can be easily convinced that they entered a contest they never did. The scammers may also threaten them by telling them they know their address and will come to their house.
Also rather than being greedy, a lot of these elderly victims are thinking if they do win, they can use the money to help their families. So their intentions are good. They won't tell anyone what they are doing because when they win, they want it to be a surprise. And if they finally do realize they are being ripped off, they are too embarrassed to tell anyone for fear of looking foolish.
Any one here that has elderly family members, you NEED to talk to them about this so they are informed of what is going on. If you visit them, check their phone messages or caller ID's. If you see several phone numbers with an 866 area code, they ARE being contacted by the Jamaican scammers. If you see a lot of out of state phone numbers several times a day, they ARE being contacted. If you see a lot of mail for sweepstakes entries requiring an entry fee, they ARE being contacted.
These scammers are a lot more prevalent than you think. Keep an eye on your loved ones so they don't get ripped off.
ZJ Wah Wa
Only a moron would name himself after a Convenience store.
Well said, Grwurston!
Excellent suggestions for protecting our grandparents and other elderly relatives.
Just for clarification, Maringoman, this is your belief ... Even if most of these unrecoverably violated people: Are over 85+ years old; 80% of time have mild-to-high dementia; and Don't have/Can't afford a daily "care-giver" or nursing home staffer to answer their phone -- using mid-level judgement skills to hang up on these uber efficient, megalomaniac '5-year-to-full retirement business plan' thieves?
Correct, Tialuvslotto, even easier to notice and respectfully and gently create a friendship, then inform an elderly person: living near your home, 80+ years old, poor-to-wealthy, with/without visitors.