Broward Resident Convicted for his Participation in a Fraudulent Jamaica Based Lottery Scheme

A Broward County resident pled guilty today for his role in a Jamaica based telemarketing fraud scheme.

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, made the announcement.

Delroy Drummond, 26, of Broward County, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349.  Drummond is scheduled to be sentenced on May 31, 2016 at 1:15 p.m. by U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas.  At sentencing, Drummond faces a maximum statutory sentence of up to twenty years in prison. 

According to documents and information presented in Court, beginning in or about April 2015, Drummond’s co-conspirators contacted elderly victims in the United States and falsely informed them that they had won a lottery.  These 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 instructed the victims on how to send this money, and to whom, including directing that the funds be sent 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 the fraudulent scheme.  At that time, Drummond was confronted with the fact that he was participating in a lottery 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 had been falsely told he/she had won a $2.5 million lottery prize.  Drummond used fraudulent identification in order to receive these funds.  In May 2015, Drummond obtained money wired to him under a fictitious name from another victim who was falsely informed he/she had won a lottery prize.  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 located throughout the United States.  As a result of the fraudulent scheme, the victims lost approximately $500,000.  

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of USPIS, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshal 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.

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.