Rochester Man Sentenced For Acting As A “Money Mule”

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
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ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr. announced today that Charles Hanks, 47, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of mail fraud, was sentenced to 12 months in prison by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution of $105,100.00 to the victims of the fraud scheme.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who handled the case, stated that Hanks worked with co-defendant Ricky Miller and a Jamaican group in a fraudulent sweepstakes telemarketing scheme that targeted elderly individuals. Victims were called on the telephone and told that they had won a sweepstakes prize or lottery.  Victims were then asked to pay an upfront fee in order to release the purported winnings. 

Hanks and Miller agreed to act as a point of contact in the United States to receive the money from the victims and then forward it to Jamaica after taking a substantial cut.  Between January 2012 and September 2013, the victims sent approximately $300,000 to Hanks and Miller.

Ricky Miller was convicted and is awaiting sentencing.

The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Shelly Binkowski, Boston Division.