Jamaican man pleads guilty in US lottery scam targeting elderly victims
Key Points(5)
- A Jamaican man has pleaded guilty in a United States federal court to fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges linked to an international lottery scam that targeted elderly victims.
- According to the U.S.
- Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, 33-year-old Jason Plummer of Montego Bay entered guilty pleas on Tuesday before U.S.
- District Judge Robert J.
- Colville to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
A Jamaican man has pleaded guilty in a United States federal court to fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges linked to an international lottery scam that targeted elderly victims.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, 33-year-old Jason Plummer of Montego Bay entered guilty pleas on Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Robert J. Colville to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Federal prosecutors said Plummer was involved in a lottery scam in which elderly victims were contacted by telephone and falsely told they had won sweepstakes prizes, often worth millions of dollars. Victims were then instructed to send money through checks, cash, money orders, or wire transfers to cover purported taxes and fees before receiving their winnings.
Authorities said Plummer communicated directly with victims regarding the fake prizes and also coordinated with co-conspirators involved in the wider scheme. Investigators further alleged that he maintained records containing victims' personal information and received funds from other members of the fraud network.
Judge Colville scheduled sentencing for October 13, 2026.
The conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the financial gain or loss resulting from the offense. The money laundering conspiracy charge also carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the value of the criminally derived property involved.
Plummer remains in custody pending sentencing.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly M. Locher.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from Jamaican authorities and the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs in securing Plummer's arrest and extradition.
