Broward Resident Arrested in Connection with Jamaica Based Lottery Scam

A Broward County resident was arrested and charged in a criminal complaint in connection with a Jamaica based lottery scam.

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Delany De-Leon Colon, Acting Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division, announce the arrest of Delroy Drummond, 25, of Broward County, for his role in a Jamaica based telemarketing fraud scheme.  Drummond had his initial appearance today in federal court and his pre-trial detention hearing is scheduled on Thursday, January 28, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lurana S. Snow.

More specifically, the complaint charges Drummond with mail fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341, and wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.  If convicted, Drummond faces a maximum statutory sentence of twenty years in prison.

According to the criminal complaint, beginning in or about April 2015, Drummond’s co-conspirators are alleged to have contacted elderly victims in the United States and falsely informed them that they had won a lottery.  According to the complaint, the co-conspirators told victims they had to pay several thousand dollars in taxes and fees in order to collect their purported lottery winnings. The co-conspirators then allegedly instructed the victims on how to send this money, and to whom, including to Drummond.

In September 2013, Drummond was contacted in Miami, Florida, by law enforcement regarding a package, which was sent through the mail, containing money from a victim of this fraud.  At that time, Drummond was confronted with the fact that he was participating in a lottery fraud scheme and was warned by law enforcement to stop receiving money from victims of telemarketing fraud.

In April 2015, Drummond obtained money wired to him under a fictitious name from a victim who was falsely told they had won a $2.5 million lottery prize.  Drummond, according to the criminal complaint, further used a fraudulent identification in order to receive these funds.  Moreover, in May 2015, Drummond obtained money wired to him under a fictitious name from another victim who was falsely informed they had won a lottery prize.  After receiving the money, Drummond was approached by a police officer and fled through the inside of the retail store, pushing carts and an individual out of his way.  Between April 2015 and December 2015, Drummond received numerous packages containing money via the United States Mail, Federal Express, and United Parcel Service from multiple victims throughout the United States.  

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, Broward Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Interdiction Task Force and the Miami-Dade Police Department Economic Crimes Unit.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randy Katz.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.